"I thought as much. In my case the chicken wire won't work (free ranging, too big an area), so I guess I'm going to have to do some research onto wing clipping, as I'd have no idea how to go about that."

"Wild ducks, geese, turkey, and chickens (jungle fowl) can fly. The truly domestic varieties cannot.

Now, most poultry companies will sell you chicks of duck variety that can fly (Mallard) because people think they are pretty and they are raised for canned hunts and dog training. A domestic variety, like the common Pekin duck (Aflac!) cannot fly. They might flap around the yard like a chicken will, but a good fence will keep them in. The same is true of geese and turkey - though I have only seen wild turkey offered from a poulterer - and a wild turkey on a heavy domestic diet won't fly.

There are some ducks (Cambells, Rouen, and Pekin) that will outlay a "farm chicken" they cannot compete with a Leghorn or a Sex Link. So, a good duck is better than a fair chicken, but a good chicken has no equal. Also, it is more difficult to keep ducks from going broody. My Sex Links almost never go broody (2 or 3 a year from 50+ hens) and a few days beating them out of the nest box with a stick (suck on the PETA) is all it has taken to break them (no isolation cages, plucking, or anything like that). I've had some ducks sit on nothing for weeks. That is a plus, however, if you don't have an incubation unit set up."

"LOL - but only sort of joking, right?"

"Heh, I'd like to bring your attention to the recent bird flu (Influenza A virus subtype H5N1), swine flu (Swine influenza virus) & mad cow disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) for examples of viral infections that were transmittable to humans.

"

"Heh, I'd like to bring your attention to the recent bird flu (Influenza A virus subtype H5N1), swine flu (Swine influenza virus) & mad cow disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) for examples of viral infections that were transmittable to humans.

If we assume the worse case scenario where all domesticated and non-domesticated animal types will be susceptible to the zombification virus without active factors (i.e. being bitten, or having ingested infected tissues), then only specialized quarantine (e.g. airlock-style) will be within acceptable parameters. Not something we, the general public, will be able to implement in the wake of a widespread zombie pandemic.

In which case, having a high plant-based and soy-based diet will be unavoidable for the long term, unless we can supplement that with fish (assuming all cold-blooded water-based life will not be affected, or affected easily)"

"Diversification is the only answer to continued food security. If you rely on any single staple, a failed crop = disaster. A diverse system is more stable, and more productive. The duck/fish/greens example is a great example of how a diverse setup actually works for you, and reduces the amount of time you need to spend on farming. Ducks are great pest control. Chickens are great scratchers - why bother turning over topsoil for replanting when you can scatter some feed and let your chooks do the rest? Similarly, pigs will happily break soil for you, and fertilise as they do it just as the chickens do in the above example. Google "chicken tractor" for some good ideas. Don't forget some of the other useful outputs from chickens: feathers, and heat. Not a bad idea to build your coop on the side of your hothouse, and then it'll be warmer though winter. Ducks are also good with rice paddies:

http://permaculture.org.au/2009/03/07/the-one-duck-revolution/"