I live in Minnesota and I've talked to people who have kept their geese and ducks in calf hutches over the winter months. I bought a used one, and I put the ducks' food in it, but they won't sleep in it. They prefer to sleep outside. Recently we've had raccoons actually break into neighboring homes, but my ducks and chickens haven't been touched -- yet. I just wonder how safe it is to use a calf hutch for wintering the waterfowl. I suppose you would have to construct a predator proof fence rather than try to seal up the hutch itself. Any other ideas?

All I use are tin huts and wood boxes depending on the birds. The chickens get wood, the ducks and geese get the tin. The tin huts are set up on pallets and are bedded heavily with straw. When they get cold they go in and keep eachother warm. Waterfowl tend to be pretty hardy birds in the winter anyway. I'm in NY.

For predator proofing, I strung a strand of e. fence a foot off the ground about a foot away from the main fence, and then another wire about 6 inches off the top of the main fence. On;y had one break in, but that was on a night I fell asleep before turning the charger on. As long as the wires are hot, the predators stay back...and I won't go near the pens until I've killed the charger...My fence is powerful to knock a cow down, but doesn't use up much power. Nice thing really.

Thanks for the info. I know I've been lucky so far, I don't want to risk it much longer. Electric fence sounds like a great idea. Is it very expensive? Also, do you use the pallets to keep it dryer inside?

Our fence wasn't expensive, free actually. A good place to watch for free stuff is the dump. I've gotten fence, posts, VCR's, TV's, fence chargers, well pumps, bikes, exercise equipment...you name it...people throw it out...and most of it still pretty new and more than usable.

As for the pallets...Yes, it keeps them drier, but it also keeps them off the ground. With straw inside it, the birds stay nice and toasty. During the summer with no straw...it acts as an air conditioner. Keeps them nice and cool...little breeze from below <G>.

Becky:

I highly recommend a Great Pyranees to protect your flock. These dogs are well worth their feed bill. I haven't lost a single bird since obtaining my two females in November.

Good Luck,
Kirk Keene
Keene's Feather Farm

We concur with the above regarding Great Pyrenees as duck guardian dogs. Our GP's primary duties are our sheep, but she has taken it upon herself to look after our duck flock. Without any training, she has determined for herself what a duck alarm call sounds like, and responds immediately when she hears it. These dogs are so intelligent we have marveled at their instant recognition of any alarm, including that of my wife.

We fasten our ducks in at night every night to guard against predators. Ours are kept in an 8X8 pen 24" tall with hinged doors and chicken wire all around. As the weather cools, we pack them in with bales of straw, and they have a well-insulated 3'X3' duck shelter inside this pen. They use it when it is cold enough. The top of their pen is covered in the winter with a tarp. When it gets really brutal, they are driven into the barn to share heat with the sheep and dog. When they shiver, we figure it's cold enough to bring them in. Most of the time they are fine outside, protected from the wind and rain/snow.

We are in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and it's really winter here. We would be happy to hear how others in the extreme north house ducks in the winter. time.

I have a minor problem that someone may be able to help with. We have four Pekin ducks on a pond in our subdivision. They actually have done quite well in staying put until this week. For some reason, they have just begun to roam quite a bit into neighboring yards across the street, tearing up the grass by burying their heads and ? eating something. Is there any chemical or other material to put on the grass or banks around the pond to keep them there? We have had huge flocks of Canadian geese come and stay on the pond for a day or two, and recently a flock came and defecated everywhere, including in yards across the street. Is this maybe why they are leaving the pond? Is is breeding? (They are running around after each other in what I believe might be mating rituals, and the one hen is laying eggs.) Any suggestions would be appreciated, otherwise angry homeowners will see to it that they leave soon.

Re,dogs as guardian . . .we have a K-Mart dog with a
lot of lab in him. We love him, feed him, walk him
and he lives outside in a nice dog house with a
thermostatically controlled hog mat under the dog
house to keep him warm even in the snow. He was
not allowed in the house for the first year and
doesn't know the difference. He's happy outside and
knows what his job is. He keeps deer, coyotes,
cougars, skunks, you-name-it, away. Seems as if
any dog trained this way would be a gerat guardian.
Also, male llamas are great guards.

from Bernie

I had ducks and one goose for the first time last winter. Mine had a shed to go in, but wouldn't all winter. Several froze to death and several froze their feet. They wanted to be in my front yard, and would sit south of my garage, no matter what I did. I was talking with a gentleman today who has kept poultry for some time, and he told me the birds wanted to stay by a light. Makes them feel safer from predators. So I am going to try to find a way to put a light in their shelter. The building doesn't have electricity, but I will figure something out.

Hi Geese and Duck People,
I have a few questions. One, will geese and ducks only mate in the Spring, when baby time rolls around. Now, for number two, I've been told, if geese inter-breed outside their breed will their offspring be sterile? I have 4 different breeds of geese, and I let them all run togather. I am new to raising geese and ducks, so any information will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Linda
e-mail: lindakay74437@yahoo.com