Home building time!

enriquec

Songster
5 Years
Aug 20, 2014
257
25
121
North Florida
So I've slacked a bit on upgrade #3. They're 1.5wks old now and there's 13 of them.

Here are the materials I have:





3 - 8x4 pieces of OSB wood
1 - 8x4 piece of tempered wood
1 - roll of 4x100 safety fence



3 - 40 pound bags of pine pelletized horse bedding
1.5 - bags of normal bedding
50 - pack of training pads for dogs

I also have the NeverWet spray I've never used, and a large plastic covering I can use.

According to a quick google search, they need 2.75 sq ft each from 4-6wks old so that's what I'm going for. I'm just slightly short at 32sq ft. but it'll be big, and absorb the heck out of poop and moisture.

I'm not exactly sure how to create or layer the bedding options, especially using the new materials. Any advice?

For the home, I think bottom 8x4 tempered wood side up. The rest normal wood, 3 sides 4ft high. One side 2ft high and fencing to make sure they cant get out. I'm also tempted to get creative, but I think simplicity might be wiser... All they need is space, but stairs, levels, windows, and maybe even a pool sound great. Except the pool. That'd be a huge mistake.

I'd love to get some feedback before I get started. Thanks!


*edit* Oh, and on the bottom, I want to use the same screen as a screened door. And cut the wood so that I can easily slide the screen out, with all the bedding on top, for easy cleaning.
 
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Well, I cleaned out the bathtub. It was wayyyyyyy nastier than I imagined. Almost too heavy to carry. The plastic on the bottom was a bad idea. I've done well keeping the top dry, but the plastic created an underground.. something gross and not just wet, actual water. Septic tank is a good term. I cant believe that happened in a few days.

I'm getting started on the house, simple version. For the bedding, I assume I'll be okay but that put a little fear in my heart. A 32 sq ft duck house indoors has to be done right or it needs to go outside. After the structure, I'll read directions and check here for recommendations. The products should work well if used properly. I'm a bit concerned about mixing and order of layering.
 
For the outdoor duck house, a 32 s.f. double-walled box,

I put about a foot of wood shavings in, mixed in a 2 gallon bucket's worth of dry peat moss (to reduce risk of ammonia formation). Sometimes I would top the shavings with some nice straw a few inches thick, but that was a mild pain when cleaning and stirring the shavings.

Daily, there was spot-picking (that went onto the garden for fertilizer), then the bedding was stirred with a strong rod. Worked very very well, with ten ducks.

These days due to the cold and a few other reasons, I have them in a 100 s.f. "room" in the walkout basement, only use four to six inches of shavings, but the maintenance is the same.

You are wise to be concerned about the septic water - wet poop can release ammonia and that can be fatal if it's concentrated enough. I would consider putting pressed sawdust pellets under the plastic, along with some Sweet PDZ.
 
Thank you, under the plastic was dry, on top was super wet. I was building this for an indoor house until they were 5+ wks old. Everything was virtually complete until I received objection an hour ago.. Its believed the smell cannot be concorded, and if it can, 8x4 takes up too much space. I cant completely disagree.

The compromise was shrinking it to fit in the bathroom. It's not *that* much smaller. 6x3. And added benefit is maybe creativity like stairs to tub can be added.

Funny enough, I have a "massive" amount of peat moss and nice straw I clipped myself, about a trash bags worth.
 
Upgrade complete.







Pine pellets with a little less than recommended water on top of dog training sheets, below regular bedding.

All the close up pics came out blurry :(
 
Looks good! I bet they are happy with all the room. Just to warn you though that style of waterer is not going to help you keep things dry. There is a thread on here with a whole bunch of ideas on different waterers. I'm on my phone and it's hard to look up.
 
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Oh its alright. I have it hanging there, but I doubt its ever turning on again. Its been a few days since I've seen them get cold. But they get hot easily. Even outside while swimming. They stop and rather go in the shade often. Inside its mid to high 70s
 

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