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Post by petdesigns on Feb 25, 2009 17:11:38 GMT 1
We are considering ducks (to help with our fight against slugs and snails!) and chicken on the field. BUT of course there are foxes (and badgers and I think sometimes a stray or badly trained dog!). Any tips on keeping them safe - and where one might be able to get nice 2nd hand hutches? Only for about maybe 6 chicken and 3 or 4 ducks. Links to good websites on the subject would be welcome, too!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 25, 2009 18:26:26 GMT 1
Are you looking to have the chickens ranging free during the days and just roosting at night, or planning a movable run and roost for both chickens and ducks, Jutta? If the latter, then you will need to be able to prevent foxes digging underneath, so may need a heavy guage wire mesh under the run, and also a roof to that, to stop then jumping in and the birds possibly flying out. Warren hens are the most common, and amongst the cheapest and best layers. You can often pick up ex-battery hens for 50p - £1 each and at the end of their first lay. Marrans are the ones that lay the dark brown eggs, but if you can keep a Marran cockeral and let that mate with Warren hens, then pick up a couple of broody bantam hens to sit them, you'll end up with white hens with a few black spots, and that lay dark brown eggs in nearly the quantities of the Warrens. For ducks, I prefer Karki Campbells, as those are very good layers and relatively calm and flightless, as ducks go. Do stay away from Muscovey ducks and unless you want areoplanes that like to roost on the village rooftops!
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Post by petdesigns on Feb 28, 2009 14:13:32 GMT 1
ROFL - I posted this here because i remembered the ducks on the village rooftops.... Yes, I was thinking Karki Campbells for our vegetable plot! And I think we're going to start off with the ducks and see how we go there before we start with chicken as well. Is a 1.3o m fence enough for ducks? And if they get a proper hut in the plot to shut them in at night, would they be ok to just wander around the plot (about the size of half an allotment)? (I'm just worried they might be killed by a fox!)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 28, 2009 15:10:37 GMT 1
That should be fine to keep Campbells in, but not chickens - especially not bantams, which can fly like kites unless you clip one wing's flight feathers regularly - and it won't keep a determined, hungry fox out, Jutta. Those will also dig their way in, given a chance. Ducks often lay their eggs wherever they happen to be when the urge takes them, so you'll need to watch where you put your feet or risk breaking the eggs. They will also sometimes make the attempt to cover them up with grass, leaves or the hay/straw supplied for nesting IF they actually use the nest boxes given.
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Post by petdesigns on Mar 1, 2009 7:55:34 GMT 1
We're hoping that the fox will NOT be around during day light! ONLY the ducks are supposed to be in the veg plot as slug control! ;-) The night hutch will be fox proof, I should think! Once we've made it, I'll take photos and tell you what we're using for it!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Mar 1, 2009 11:17:56 GMT 1
Jutta, around here the allotments back onto houses, and yet this last winter we have had a fox killing during the mornings. They can lie low in an area where there's a plentiful food supply and have a killing session, returning at intervals to carry off surplus kills to bury elsewhere for consumption at a later date. Old or infirm foxes especially can get a taste for 'feather', and domestic poultry is often easier for them to catch than their natural prey of rabbits etc. If you can cover your runs, or angle out the top of the wire to make it much harder to climb; also ensure they cannot easily access a shed roof to be able to jump up and down into a run that way, it will help.
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Post by petdesigns on Mar 2, 2009 10:39:55 GMT 1
After 'studying' all this over the weekend I suppose we have to do a lot of fencing! Sigh. Thank you very much for your input!!! Very much appreciated! Maybe I should come and pick up some Khaki Campbells from you
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Mar 2, 2009 11:36:52 GMT 1
After the attention of the fox myself this last winter, I only have four ducks and two drakes left, Jutta - and the only youngster amongst them is a year old, white Indian runner that someone 'dumped' on me, and who has just started laying green eggs! It's worth bearing in mind that many egg customers/average housewives don't like green eggs, btw. I've an Indian runner x mallard drake, and a karki x mallard drake, who is quite a few years old now, and three of his daughters who were out of Karki Campbell ducks, so none that would really be ideal for you. Saying that, if my health deteriorates further, so that I can't reallymanage to look after them, I'll let you know, as I'll be looking for a retirement home for them, along with the remaining six odd, very old hens (other people's rejects) and a rescued Marran cross cockeral with deformed feet!
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Post by RuthE on Mar 2, 2009 13:34:49 GMT 1
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Post by petdesigns on Mar 2, 2009 15:18:54 GMT 1
So I won't have any ducks from you since obviously your health will get MUCH better from now on!!! (That's an order!!!!) Runner duck would also be good I suppose - they're supposed to be good against slugs, too! And personally I find the idea of green eggs rather funny Thank you, Ruth. Happy Landings take in ex-battery hens sometimes and there's another place near here where I can get ex-bats. Chicken will have to wait a bit though, it's going to take a bit to get a proper "as fox-proof as possible" run for the ducks going and I want to make sure things are right for any animals we take in. (Al, I'll take photos once we've done it (can only take weeks with Martin still playing rugby every saturday ) and then you can see if you'd like your feathery ones retired even though you're getting better by the minute !)
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Post by billywhippet on Apr 30, 2009 15:05:16 GMT 1
If you look on the Omlet forum www.omlet.co.uk/homepage/homepage.phppeople are often getting rid of coops etc. I only have two hybrid chooks but they're great fun and we do get an egg each every day!
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Post by petdesigns on Apr 30, 2009 15:20:58 GMT 1
Thank you We have now acquired two (wooden) coops - they were 'show' pieces at an agricultural shop in the area and I got them for a lot less than they normally are. I've been taking pics, but of course am now holding them back to see first what sort of things Al is coming up with for the photo contest!!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Apr 30, 2009 15:24:25 GMT 1
Rachel, I've sent you a copy of the 'Spring Newsletter' plus suppliments. Hoping to get a may one ready soon, although Jack is away this Bank Holiday weekend.
Jutta, did you have a class in mind? 'Best Chicken Run' look-alike, perhaps? ;D
My broody is still sitting tight, but I'm not hopeful many of the eggs under her will be fertile. The only cock I have left after the fox's visits, is the one with the deformed foot. I am hing that was caused by a horse treading on his foot at his previous home, and not a genetic problem.
Must ask Sharom if he's got a broody sitting on the duck eggs he had from me, too. If those hatch, he promised me a couple of youngsters back, as I have so few ducks left now, as well.
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Post by petdesigns on Apr 30, 2009 15:40:16 GMT 1
Maybe, one never knows with you.. But also we have a few plants inside the duck run (but no ducks yet!) which might come in handy for whatever classes you have in mind! I'm looking forward to reading if the eggs were fertile and whether you'll get some more ducks! (Runners or Campbells?)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Apr 30, 2009 16:47:13 GMT 1
Runners or campbels will depend upon whether Arnold (runner) or Draco (Campbell x mallard) made out with the ducks best! At the moment, it seems to be a duck, then Arnold, and with Draco on the top of triple stacks!
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Post by petdesigns on Apr 30, 2009 17:19:26 GMT 1
If Arnold was involved, maybe I can get some ducklings from Sharon, too??
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Apr 30, 2009 18:52:32 GMT 1
I can ask him, but you might want to make a note of the August Bank Holiday Gypsy Fair, at St. Mary Hill, Pencoed, as they always seem to have loads of ducks for sale there, and it would be an excuse for a day out, too. That way you should be able to get pure bred runners, and I only have one runner duck, apart from Arnold the runner drake. Draco's not fussy when his passion is aroused! He's bigger/heavier than Arnold, but the ducks I have left seem to lay like mad during the season. I do hope Sharom's managed to get something to sit the eggs. I love little ducklings. He does have an incubator, too, but that was full of chicken eggs when he had the duck ones.
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Post by petdesigns on May 1, 2009 8:16:53 GMT 1
oh ok then... I might get some here from a farm. I just thought it would have been 'appropriate' to have TRPD ducks in my TRPD garden
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Post by petdesigns on May 5, 2009 15:44:09 GMT 1
Does anybody by any chance know where one could look for 2nd hand PIG ARKS? Of course preferably in the area Bath/Bristol/Wells.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 5, 2009 20:16:39 GMT 1
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