Duckhouse extension

[DoubleDogFarm]

I lost another duckling a couple days ago. Just vanished during the day. I'm thinking bird of prey of some type. So I'm building this addition onto the duckhouse. It will have netting over the top. The ducklings will be raised in this enclosure until true feather age.









Eric

[neil17]

That stinks something killed the baby,I know its nature and all. Thats an awesome extension too! At least now they'll be safe from whatever it is that got the last one.

[jennsim]

Sorry to hear that Eric

Glad your able to fix something up for them, so cute.

My Grandma told me about when she finally got rid of all here ducks...
so she thought! In the Spring after, she saw one day a duck and her
babies walk out from under the house!

jenn

[DoubleDogFarm]

My Grandma told me about when she finally got rid of all here ducks...
so she thought! In the Spring after, she saw one day a duck and her
babies walk out from under the house

My dad tells me similar stories, about chickens, growing up on the family farm in North Dakota.



Eric

[garden5]

Sounds like it may have been a hawk. They come out of nowhere.

At least it only one and now that you enclosure is up, that will hopefully put a stop to anymore losses.

Are those the Muscovy ducks?

[applestar]

Eric, here's my DD's rendition of a duck family in Modeling Beeswax

[sciencegal]

Eric, we had to do the same for our hens. We have a large inside coop for inclement weather and feed/water, and an outside one for "recreation". We put double chicken wire on the top to deter hawks, and secured the chicken wire with battens on the frame so feral cats, possums, skunks, etc. couldn't walk in. We also set it on buried bricks which hold down the wire underground. My husband calls it "Alcatraz"!

I'm going to have to do something like this for my chickens. They have a large coop with a giant yard surrounded by a 5 foot fence. There are lots of pine trees in the yard which the chickens (and ducks and a pair of geese) enjoy hanging out under during the day.

Hawks aren't the problem, but it's the ravens which go right inside the coop and steal the eggs. Amongst other things such as scarecrows which only work for a week or so, I tried a trick of putting golf balls in the nests which the ravens also steal but the hope was that they would decide my "eggs" weren't worth stealing. They've stolen all the golf balls now and have gone back to stealing eggs. If I come outside with a .22 rifle the ravens disappear. So, I guess I'll have to build a covered pen around the front of the coop to keep the ravens out.

On the other hand the presence of the ravens deters hawks. I have a free-flying loft of homing pigeons which have not experienced a hawk attack at least near the loft. I often see ravens flying with the flock.

[jal_ut]

Nice enclosure. Is that 2x4 mesh on the screen?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Jim,
Thank you
No its small hole wire for rabbit cages. It's 1/2 x 1" openings. We have minks and weasels that would slip through large hole fencing.


G5, Yes, Muscovy ducklings

Applestar, To funny. Looks like one has fallen and can't get up.

Time to go weld up the door for the coop.

Eric

[DoubleDogFarm]

So the duck coop is basicly finished.

The simple rebar framed door is installed.


I transplanted some Rosa Rugosa around the outside.



Cut a doorway through the side of the duckhouse.


Waterer and happy safe Muscovies.


Jal_ut , The wire fence is 1" x 2" not 1/2"x 1"

I'm thinking a carport frame to greenhouse is the next project.

Eric

[soil]

we had the same problem with hawks here, built sort of the same type of thing until they reached full age.

what kind of ducks do you have?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Soil,

Egg laying ducks: White Layer, Khaki Campbell and Cayuga.

Meat: Muscovy (South American perching bird).


Eric

[jal_ut]

Jal_ut , The wire fence is 1" x 2" not 1/2"x 1"

OK, that should keep little ducklings in and for sure, hawks out. Do you ever have trouble with skunks or other critters digging into your enclosures?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Jal,

The eight plus years with ducks, I haven't seen any digging.

The base of the coop has a treated 2x6. I will probably lay down some chicken wire before filling to top of this board.

Eric

[jal_ut]

I have a small chicken coop that just sits on the ground. It is anchored against the wind with a couple of cement blocks dug into the ground. I have twice had skunks dig under the walls. They will rob eggs and kill chickens. I ended up taking some 1 inch chicken wire and cut 18 inch wide strips and nailed them to the coop just above the ground and laid it flat on the ground and put some rocks or boards on it to hold it down. The skunks might try to dig, but they will start at the wall, not able to figure out they need to start back at the edge of the wire. So far nothing else has dug into the coop.