Ducks...no fence

Guerric Kendall wrote:No, they won't. They'll make it their home base and come back there every few hours, but they won't stay there if they feel the need to go off exploring. And they're not like chickens who sometimes split off into small groups. If one decides to go investigate something, they all will.

Bird fences don't need to be elaborate, but my biggest worry would be aerial predators hovering over that open field...

Maureen Atsali wrote:My ducks free range, with no fences.  They don't wander very far, and seem to stay closer than the chickens.

If you are growing rice, how will you keep them from eating it once the seed forms? I don't grow rice but my understanding was that ducks need to be removed at that point... Seems a

I saw a video on FB called Azolla duck rice farming that explains it all. They wait until there is enough water and the plants are bigger. I figured I could feed them a bit as the rice grew. It grows so fast.....Can't figure out how to link the video...

I can build a coop easily, but the fence would be massive. Secretly hoping they would free range and protect themselves with the big pond as an escape route. They're so cute...Usually there is too much rice so they could eat quite a bit no problem...plus snails.

Erich

Guerric Kendall wrote:No, they won't. They'll make it their home base and come back there every few hours, but they won't stay there if they feel the need to go off exploring. And they're not like chickens who sometimes split off into small groups. If one decides to go investigate something, they all will.

Bird fences don't need to be elaborate, but my biggest worry would be aerial predators hovering over that open field...

Libbie Hawker wrote:

Guerric Kendall wrote:No, they won't. They'll make it their home base and come back there every few hours, but they won't stay there if they feel the need to go off exploring. And they're not like chickens who sometimes split off into small groups. If one decides to go investigate something, they all will.

Bird fences don't need to be elaborate, but my biggest worry would be aerial predators hovering over that open field...

I agree with this, but wanted to add that if there are enough snails and small fish and other delicious things in the pond/rice field for them, they will probably stay there and forage on all that bounty. Only when they start to deplete the easy prey will they begin to wander...