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bernie · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Tasmania

Our ducks & hens all free-range happily together but they have separate sleeping quarters. Actually the ducks have started going down to the dam at night, but the reason we gave them seprate areas was because the ducks make such a wet muddy mess with their water that the whole place ends up soggy & damp if they are in there, and that's not so good for the chickens.

I have heard lots of good things about khaki campbells, but at the minute we only have Indian runners. They don't fly so we can contain them with only low fences. We've had 2 lots of ducklings - one set survived but the others were picked off one by one and finally the mother duck got killed as well (not sure if it was the hawks or feral cats).

One thing we learnt quickly was that the ratio of male to female was rather important. We started out with 2 males and 3 females and one day we came out to their pen to find 2 of the girls couldn't walk. We locked the boys out for a few days until the girls recovered and then we got a few more girls to go around (so to speak).

tringle · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:31 am Post subject:

wayoutwest · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 184 Location: west clare

you don't actually need a male at all. They do have a tendency to get shag-silly, and leave the girls bald and exhausted. We had two males to 5 females, but I didn't want to keep either of the males. (long story, someone wouldn't eat his pet duck...) I think I would chose not to have any males at all in future, as we didn't rear chicks. Ducks make fairly shabby mothers, it's easier to buy fertile duck eggs and stick them under a broody if you want ducklings (- not talking from experience though.)

if you don't have that much room, I would pick one sort of foul.
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tringle · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject:

Your all great for information, thanks. Now thinking about 2 ducks and 2/3 hens or bantams. We will have room for that.I want hens and he will let me have them if we have ducks for him. He wants to keep them out the back (about the size of your garden wayoutwest) but we also have a lot of space in the front and I see no reason to keep them there.

Anyway, off to Limerick to Homebase to have a look at dog kennels (read hen house), green houses and fruit trees. They have 10% off everything today so hopefully will come back with a least one purchase.
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roiphil · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 118 Location: Co. Limerick

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1164 Location: Campile. Wexford

Tringle. Are you going to feed your birds on pellets etc?. If so make sure that the ducks dont get to eat Chook pellets that are medicated. Wink

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tringle · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks, I havent thought that far yet (meaning well, I dont know Embarassed

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handyman · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2

hi tringle this is my first time on countrytalk you should try qr collection in caher on 05242131 for a hen house if not i will knock up one for you

handyman · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2

[quote="tringle"]Where can I buy one (no good at trying to build one, or do up something else as one).
I hace found loads on ebay in Uk but shipping costs make them dear. I have also tried buy and sell and at the moment only a large one is on offer. I am looking for one for about 3 hens

We are in North Tipp so Tipp, Limerick, Galway, Clare and Offaly are
hi you should checkout country collection in caher on05242131 failing that i will make youy one

Rebecca

Hi there

Another option is to have them made by, my husband does it made to measure. You can call him here in Leitrim on 071 9632212 He is a carpenter and a perfectionist! You can see his craft work here www.hobbyhorsetoys.wordpress.com

and some examples of our pig ark is at www.irishcraftworker.typepad.com scroll down to February to see our ark and piglets

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