Duck Houses

[vdierkes]

Thank you! That was a typo. It was supposed to say pea gravel not the gravel. Was the pea gravel really expensive? Where did you get it?

It was $30 for a truck load which was a lot more than we expected! I got it at a local nursery that sells dirt, bark and gravel. I waited until they ate all of the grass and when it started to get muddy I just laid the gravel right over the dirt. Good luck!

 

[WilliamsLen]

At house trailer supplies you can always get a hose ended through fitting.

 

[LadyIsadora]

Just got this done. Ducks haven't moved in, yet, since there are still a few minor things to do. It's for five ducks (4 Runners and 1 Mallard).

This is a wonderful duck house. Now that you have had it for a while, how is it working out for you? How well did it work for you over winter? How is that flooring working out for you?
What changes would you/ have you made? What is the distance from the ground to the bottom of the pen? do they hang out under there?

 

[SuperChick79]

LadyIsadora, this setup is working really well. The ducks stay very very clean. If any poo stays on top, I can just hose it off. For the winter I had put ply wood sheets around it, because we get pretty nasty wind chills here. I believe the distance from the ground tho the 2x4s that the floor is fastened to is a little over a foot. Raking/shoveling underneath is not that big of a problem. Sometimes the chickens go under there. I haven't come up with a good outside run solution for the ducks, yet. I'll be working on that in the coming months. The only problem that this flooring presents, is that they don't wear down their nails (so they have to be clipped), which would hopefully be remedied by access to the ground during the day. And instead of putting chicken wire around the bottom 2 feet of the chain link fencing, I will get sturdier wire to put up, because I had a coyote bent and rip off the chicken wire. He didn't get to the ducks, but stronger wire might prevent the damage he did cause. But all in all, I did accomplish what I wanted to with this setup, which is clean ducks and easy clean-up.

 

[2duckmom]

My husband built the house in my profile picture for our two new ducklings, Gus and Denzel. (We might have to change Gus' name if we find out that he's a girl). I'm pretty sure Denzel is a male, because I am seeing a good bit of green on his face and wings...I think he is a black swedish. It is 4' x 4' x 3-1/2' high. I installed the heat lamp inside. The floor is plywood with covered in straw. We are planning on building a pond soon.

 

[LadyIsadora]

Thanks for replying SuperChick. Yours is very similar to what I have envisioned for my ducks. I appreciate your feedback. The thing about the nails is something to think on. Have you thought about putting down a few roofing shingles in there? I have read that it wears well, does not hurt their feet, provides traction even when wet and helps wear down nails. I think I will be covering the ramp from their coop to the pond in them.
Mine are currently in a dog run surrounded by wood and topped with plastic it has deep straw and wood pellets getting stinkier by the day as the weather warms, so I need to get their forever pen built pretty soon. The dogs would like their houses back.
I think they will want to hang out under the pen more than in it, but dont really know how tall I have to make it for them to be comfortable doing that.
The pen will be behind another fenced area so they are protected from the worst predators we have around here ---dogs.

Still in the design stages ;-)

 

[Gigglebox]

Here it is, our "Duck Fortress" in progress. When all is said and done, it will be about 1800 square feet (the enclosed part of the shed turned duck house is 200 sf). Initital flock will be 50 ducks and 4 geese. So excited!

For the record, the ducks will have more square footage than we have in our main level of living (ranch with a basement). Lucky ducks, i'd say...

 

[DuckDodgers]

Here it is, our "Duck Fortress" in progress. When all is said and done, it will be about 1800 square feet (the enclosed part of the shed turned duck house is 200 sf). Initital flock will be 50 ducks and 4 geese. So excited!

For the record, the ducks will have more square footage than we have in our main level of living (ranch with a basement). Lucky ducks, i'd say...

wow! that looks awesome, I wish I had that for mine

 

[Gigglebox]

Thanks! We've got a bit to go but we're well on our way hoping to be complete in 2-3 weeks. My husband is the one mainly working on it and he works full time so it's slower going than we'd like but....it is what it is

 

[Km00re21]

Piper and Gordie Quaack