The past weekend was spent finishing up the new aviary for the ducks. With a freshly dug pond and eagle-safe netting for our little waddly friends, moving day was quite the exciting event.
The new duck aviary is immediately next to the new chicken aviary which was last month's big project.
As you can see, our birds do not lack for space to stretch their little legs. Plenty of room for scratching, pecking, and dust baths in the sunshine for the chickens; waddling, dibbling, and puddle-making for the ducks. The netting is made from fishing nets salvaged from the dump.
Why aviaries? Simple answer: we love our birds.
Although we like to let our feathered friends free-range as much as possible, there are times when it just isn't safe for them to be out and about due to predation. Certain times of year are more dangerous than others, with spring being prime eagle and hawk hunting time. We've had several close calls this spring already, with a particularly persistent Northern Goshawk eyeing himself a free chicken dinner.
See him sitting there on top of the chicken run, bold as can be? The chickens were cowering in the henhouse. (please ignore the compost bin, it is busy making organic fertilizer for the garden)
Last year we had ducks attacked by a bald eagle and even a huge raven (thankfully both ducks survived their ordeals).
Winter brings additional danger from foxes, lynx, and martens so strong fencing and secure housing are must-haves to keep out the undesirables. The joys of raising animals in Alaska.
Free ranging is absolutely possible in summer especially when eagles are all gathered along the coast feasting on a glut of salmon and our little fowl make a poor substitute. Also any time when we are out and about and can keep an eye out for danger, we love to let them out to run free over the acreage hunting for bugs and worms and fresh little green sprouts. Just as long as those little green sprouts are not in the vegetable garden!
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