How much clear space for ducks and hens

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no1chrism

New member
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7
I have just taken over a croft and part of that is chickens and ducks. The ducks are 13 Khaki Campbells and a Rhode Island Red Cockerel and two hens.
They all get on really well and are nice and productive on the egg front. The area they are in is on a slope and has an area of around 800 sq meters. There is a nice pond but a large part of what is left is very overgrown. There is a huge raspberry thicket. The non raspberry area's are pretty overgrown as well. There is grass and some open space by the pond, but not a massive amount. My question is this. Should I be thinning the undergrowth back. Do the hens and ducks like all the cover (they certainly use it) or would they be better off if I had a go with the strimmer and tidied up.
Also (sorry lots of questions being a newby to all this) if I were to add more ducks or hens, is there anything I should be careful about relating to the existing occupants.
Many thanks,
Chris
 
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Icemaiden

Well-known member
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Kent
Hi Chris.
You lucky thing!

Other far wiser people will doubtless be along shortly, but in the mean time, welcome to the forum.
I know very little about ducks, but I do know that when you introduce new chickens, you need to keep the ratio of males to females low, as the males are likely to fight. You don't "need" males in order to get eggs; they eat, poo, make a lot of noise & can get aggressive but are only essential if you want to breed from them. When you introduce new hens, you need to keep them separate from the existing flock but able to see them for a few weeks, so that the two groups can get used to each other from a distance before they're allowed to mix. This apparently reduces the aggression between birds.

I'll have first hand experience in 3 or 4 weeks, as I'm getting some new girls next week & will be doing introductions myself. I'll post my experiences on the board!
 
Marigold

Marigold

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Hampshire, U.K.
Hi Chris, and welcome to the Forum from me, too.
Certainly no problems with space for your birds - I did wonder what the fix population is like where you live, though. It's so devastating s when birds enjoying the freedom to roam are attacked and killed, as has happened to people on here.
As Icemaiden says, a period of separation is essential, not only to help them to integrate without bloodshed, but also for quarantine reasons. Even apparently healthy birds can be carrying latent infections from their previous environment, which can be triggered by the stress of moving to a new place. If you decide to get more, its best to do this all in one go if possible, rather than in dribs and drabs as this makes integration easier as well.
I think the birds would like the cover if you don't want to clear it. There will be more insect food available under the bushes and they will provide shade in the heat and shelter in the cold and wet weather. You can easily train them to emerge when you shake the corn box!
 
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dorsetduckowner

New member
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821
Hiya :)

I agree with Marigold, the more cover the better. If you can keep as many bushes as possible thats wonderful, chickens and ducks prefer cover to open pasture. Chickens are woodland creatures so love trees and ducks feel very vulnerable in open pasture and also need shade to cool themselves in hot weather. More cover the better!

zo
x
 
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no1chrism

New member
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7
Thanks for the welcome and the replies. Looks like leaving the cover is both good for the birds and less work for me. Excellent! I will have to consider ways of introducing new stock without initially mixing. We have foxes in the area, but not many. Main problem for the hens and ducks is Pine Martens. The enclosure has an electric fence on the outside 4 inches from the ground. The hens get locked up at night, but the ducks often do not go inside and prefer to sleep in the thickets of raspberry.
Chris
 
Marigold

Marigold

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Weather forecast looks as if its nice and cool up there, compared with the 30 C we had in Hampshire here today. Not good for my hens, - or me!
 
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no1chrism

New member
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7
It's been warm, but not hot today. A little drizzle but mostly fine. A nice day for outdoor work. I am quite glad we are not having the 30 degree stuff! I think you have a few more days of sweaty temperatures at least haven't you?
 
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