Duck Shelter?

[FarmFamily]

We are wanting to put some ducks in one of our ponds and are trying to figure out how to make them some sort of shelter that will also provide (hopefully) some sort of protection from predators.We are not wanting to cage/pen them in. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

I once saw floating duck houses on a farm pond . Kind of like a floating dog house . There was small cables that ran to anchors on the bank . I didn't pay a lot of attention & can't tell you anything further about them . if you do an internet search for floating duck houses you might find something .

[Maura]

WV Hillbilly has the right idea. The ducks will stay on the pond, come off to sleep, then go back on the water where they feel safe. When they come off to sleep, that is when the predators will get them. Make a floating island for them. You want floating so you can pull the island over to the shore and collect the eggs. Raccoons will come around every three days, at night. Every evening at dusk I would bribe my ducks with a bit of grain into a pen with electric fencing.

[smccuen]

Here's the floating duckhouse I made last year. Four Mallards used it regularly as a place to sleep. Then they flew away in November.

[TheMartianChick]

That floating duckhouse looks really nice!
We used to have muscovy ducks and they didn't want to go inside anything unless they were nesting! Finally, we gave up and built A-frames for them. They mostly used them when the weather got extremely cold and snowy.

[||Downhome||]

Originally Posted by WV Hillbilly

I once saw floating duck houses on a farm pond . Kind of like a floating dog house . There was small cables that ran to anchors on the bank . I didn't pay a lot of attention & can't tell you anything further about them . if you do an internet search for floating duck houses you might find something .

Ever seen a coon that lacked ability to swim?
or even mink...
Owls don't need to swim.

My ducks are not dumb, it did not come easy.
They know to shelter at night.

Pen them. save some grief. Does not need be all day just at dusk till dawn.

even then predation can happen during the day.

My duck pen is three houses and 3x3 wire. Holes cut for access to the houses out side the pen, and a gate to lock up.

Ducks tasty and seems preferred over chicken.

[||Downhome||]

I'm not saying dont let them run , just pen during peak pred hours.