Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction duck house

I am pondering building a house for my 4 ducks and 2 geese. Kinda like to have a safe warmer place for them this winter. I have feral cats, coyotes and have seen a red fox before. Just wondering if anyone has built the fence out into the water so you didn't have to have a door to open and close every day. Not sure if that is doable or not, just in the thinking stage. I wand a nice safe place for them.

I never have, but have seen something similar to what you speak.There's a cemetery, that has 2 swans. They have built a small approx. 10'x10' area right in front of the swan shack.They constructed from cattle panels, and keep a circulator running for open water.

The swans use the open water all winter long.

I was thinking about just bringing the two sides out a ways in the water. Then the ducks could swim around and go in and out. Hopefully predators wouldn't go out in the water and go around the fence. I will keep the water open through the winter so it doesn't freeze close to it.

With a set-up like you describe they would still be vulnerable to otters and mink unless you don't have those predators in your area.

I can't claim 100% correct on this but I would think the area is similiar to here. We do not have those animals as predators.

Yea we don't have those here. Only fear is that I get them to go into house and then something gets in and they cannot get away. Maybe a door that closes at a certain time and opens at a certain time. I was hoping someone has a good setup that they could show pics of.

Mike, there's a good possibility you have mink in the area.And I'm going to assume ducks are as tasty as chickens to predators. Coons, possums and skunks will get after them also.There's only one sure way to protect them, and that's to personally close them up at night. I used to have chickens. One evening I was sitting at my puter. There was 12 inches of snow on the ground. I heard hell unleashed outside my window. The moon was shining and full. I saw a coon dragging a full grown chicken through the snow headed for a tree. Like the Christmas story "night before Christmas" I in my underwear, threw on my cap, Hey Mr. Coon we'll have none of that. I grabbed my 12 gauge and ended the battle. Had I been asleep, the hen would have been dinner. I had not closed the door on my coup yet.Do you live at the pond you are talking about? If not, winter them at your home in the back yard.

One more thing to think about Mike, Coons and possums will climb fences. Had them climb 10 foot fences before.Electric fence should stop them. One at the bottom and one at the top.

Yes I live next to the pond. I guess I could shut them up each night and let them out int he morning. If I go out of town, I would just have to leave them out. Just had one goose last winter that someone had dumped at my pond. He hung out with the Canadians that flew in and out all winter. I bought 2 baby females this spring and the first night I left them out, one of them disappeared. 4th of July, 4 white ducks show up. Something tried to get one of them while we were shooting fireworks off. He made it to the pond minus a few feathers and a little blood. Haven't had any issues since then. Guessing that was a feral cat since it was so close to the house with a bunch of noise. Now we have become so attached to them and their crazy behavior that they are part of the family.

Mike. I'm a flurry of thoughts. LOL Hey, I suppose if you wanted you could take a cattle panel, and cover the run to the water. Wrap with chicken wire, and you should be in business. That way you will reduce 90% of your possible predators, by forcing them to come through the water.skunks, possums, coyotes,foxes will be detoured. Dont know about coons if they would swim far for an easy meal or not, I know you'd have to extend the run out into the water a ways. I'd still lock up at night. If you leave for a few days, lock the birds up in the run. With food and water, they will be fine. They may have an attitude, but hey at least they'll still be breathing!