Can't keep duck house try, going insane

[Jenjens]

Hello,

It has been raining and snowing here and recently just got out of a really big cold snap. I give the ducks their food and water on top of a container (like a sled, actually) to keep everything in and to re-use spilled food, if they will be inside all day since it's so cold, but other days, the food is outside.

They do walk through the snow and ice/water, but their ENTIRE duck house is wet straw. I have cleaned it out completely 2 days ago and added new straw (even added some hemp to see if it helps) but its' all wet straw already. I honestly can't keep doing this. I don't know how their entire house is getting so wet.

Some days the ducks are just out all day and the chickens hang out in there. I know for a fact chickens aren't playing in the water. I give them a deep (but not large enough to bathe in) water container, so I don't know how the straw is getting so wet. Does wet straw bother them?

Does anyone have an ideas or tips/tricks? Thanks!

 

[Jenbirdee]

i have layers of pine flakes under and between the layers of the straw. i clean out the top layer and add fresh daily.
i never keep water inside their house ( i learned the hard way ) so now i put water buckets and food just outside their house and lay straw around so they step out to drink and eat then go back in.

 

[Jenjens]

i have layers of pine flakes under and between the layers of the straw. i clean out the top layer and add fresh daily.
i never keep water inside their house ( i learned the hard way ) so now i put water buckets and food just outside their house and lay straw around so they step out to drink and eat then go back in.

Thank you. I recall doing that in the summer and will give it a shot again.

 

[MGG]

As Jenbirdee mentioned, wood chips are better than straw. Hay and straw absorb very little moisture and even damp air can make straw and hay wet. Because of that they also grow mold spores very easily and your ducks can get aspergillosis from inhaling them. Wood chips can grow mold too, but they're more absorbent and easier to change out. I've also used pine pellets (for horse stalls) and those work great, but I can get really good quality wood chips for free so I just stick with those. Just add a new layer as needed and then shovel it all out monthly. Keeping waterers outside or on a tray does help tremendously too. Keep a tub for bathing outside and only give water inside if theyll be in all day. Ducks can also handle extreme temps, they really don't need to be shut in hardly ever. I only put mine in a couple times each winter if it's lower than -10 actual temp with a windchill of -30 or more, or if they really look miserable.