Duck house… on water?

CalliBee

Songster
Mar 27, 2022
110
109
113
Hi again,

So about 8 weeks ago I ordered 2 Anaconas in the mail and received 6! As much as I would love to keep them all, I can’t. So I my mom’s boss from work(who I’ve met before) offered to take 4 them.
She has 3 acres of land, a pond, and some chickens (but never had ducks before). And it sounded great!
Well it’s getting close to time to send them to their new home and I asked my mom if her boss was ready to take them as she was in the process of building a duck house and she said yes! Great I’m excited! But then I received pic of the duck house they built and I’m a little unsure…
It seems small for 4 grown ducks, and it’s floating on top of the water. No run, no fence around the property, nothing. I’m worried about predators, but the person who is getting them seems to think that the water will protect them Bc they can just swim away. I have no idea how they’re going to teach them to nest inside the duck house at night if there isn’t a way to keep them secure (even if they could all fit in there)
My question is, has anyone else put their coop on the pond before? Is it just as safe as a regular coop? Safer?
I’m not feeling too good about sending my babies there, feels like I’m sending them to their death.

Pictured below is the duck house they built:
 

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CalliBee

Songster
Mar 27, 2022
110
109
113
That’s what I’m afraid of. I can’t imagine them using that thing. The potential new owners believe that even if they nest on the edge of the water they’ll just rush right in and away from any predators.
 

Miss Lydia

~Gift of God ~ Eternal Life ~John 3:16-17
Premium Feather Member
12 Years
Oct 3, 2009
122,917
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Mountains of Western N.C.
You don’t have to feel obligated to give your ducks up to this person. Be honest and tell them all the horror stories you’ve heard about on BYC and you just would rather they go where they will have security. Go to the predator and pest forum. Reading there is enough to change your mind.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/predators-and-pests.13/
 

rjmyooper

Crowing
Premium Feather Member
Aug 29, 2021
853
4,917
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U.P. of Michigan (Way UP Here)
My Coop
My Coop
Let's talk about your plans. You only want 2 Ducks? 1 Hen and 1 Drake, I assume? That's not a good idea. A drake Duck need a haram around. Having only one mating partner is really bad for the Hen. He will hurt her, badly, come mating season.
Consider keeping 3 Hens and 1 Drake. I think that's why the breeder sent you 6 instead of 2.
 

Quatie

Crowing
Oct 16, 2020
3,221
13,944
481
Northern California
I don't deal with them where I live, but I have read enough horror stories about snapping turtles too. Land predators are not the only thing to worry about. And yours can't fly away, which is the main way wild ducks escape predators.

Those ducks are going to need a minimum of 16sq ft. They will need to be an enclosed run at first as well. They will need to learn to trust the new owner if they are ever going to be able to get them to use a coop and not just stay on the pond all night.

If you don't want to give them away, there is nothing wrong with that. Just realize, once you do, they are no longer your animals to protect. So if you are worried, there is nothing wrong about being picky with who they go to. There is no way for you to keep all of them?
 

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