I have completed my new duck pen. I have one pair of Mandarins, and one pair of Wood ducks. I may add another pair of something in the future, like Black east indies, call ducks, or white mandarins.
I got most of the ideas and inspiration from scott here on BYC, and modified it according to what he said he would like to see in a mardarin pen. You can view his duck pen at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287362
A few of the things that I decided to do with this pen:
1. The screen floor. Ducks are messy, and this goes a great deal to decrease this mess as most of their droppings go right through the floor into the orchard to add fertilizer.
2. The elevated pool. Again, with an elevated pool and drain underneath, it becomes very very easy to drain, and refill their "pond" and keep it looking nice and not so muddy. With the screen floor then they cant make to huge of a mess since they cant get
mud into it.
3. Nesting Boxes. Mandarins and wood ducks like to have an elevated nesting box to lay their eggs. I built the top ramp that leads to a platform with 3 seperate nesting boxes. While I haven't seen this particular set up, I am hoping that they will
recognize this as a place to lay eggs and do so.
4. Sleeping area. On the opposite side I wanted a sleeping area seperate from the nesting boxes where they can be to get out of the bad weather. As most with ducks know, they hardly spend anytime in there anyway, so I didn't make it that large at all
Just big enough that they can all fit in there no problem
5. Elevated planter boxes. Going along with the theme of my chicken coop, I wanted some planter on here as well to give it not quite as much of a artificial look. My hope is that eventually the ivy I have planted will grow all around the entire thing, and
then I will just keep the front viewing area free of ivy so that the rest looks like a big green building. This is probably years from now, but you have to start somewhere right? The plantar boxes are made very water-proof so there is no leaking into the
other areas.
6. Heated water-bowl. Not that I will need it anymore this year, next winter I thought it was good to have thier water heated, so I got a dog bowl that is heated. Also, I am trying to figure out a way to get the pool heated as well. Anyone that has suggetions that would be appreciated.
Things I already know I would do different:
1. The ramps and top platform are solid wood. I think to do it again I would make them outlines in wood with wire as the floor still. It seems that most of the duck waste accumulates on the ramps since it is solid. I may still change this
2. The feed area. When it rains or snows it is messing up the feed as it gets all soggy. I am trying to figure a way out to fix this.
The front shot of the duck pen. top ramp in front, bottom ramp in back. Sleeping area to the right, Nesting area to the left.
Here is the nesting side. There are three nests that all have seperate opening to access the nest. In between the 3 nests are the two planting areas
This is the opposite side where I have an access door to the outside pen. I put the food right there because the water I can do from out side. to the left of the access door is the door to the sleeping area. Also the third pic shows inside the sleeping area where you can see my pair of wood ducks.
Here is the pond w/drain as well as underneath the pen where the drain pipe is.
Here is the top of the pen where they can access the nesting area. As well as some pictures of my Mandarins wondering what in the world I am doing.
Final Thoughts:
I love the pen and it seems to be working so far. As with any project there are a few things I would change. I love the mandarins pair and they seem very curious and seem to have gotten use to me and my fam. They are not near as spooked. The wood pair seems as wild as ever. I am not sure if some of you others have noticed that the woods act more wild then the mandarins, but it is the case for me. These mandarins are only yearlings so there is a chance that they will lay this spring, otherwise it will be next spring. Does anyone with Mandarins already have them laying eggs this early?
I also posted a similar post for my new chicken coop. If any of you would like to see it here is the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=323146
I got most of the ideas and inspiration from scott here on BYC, and modified it according to what he said he would like to see in a mardarin pen. You can view his duck pen at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287362
A few of the things that I decided to do with this pen:
1. The screen floor. Ducks are messy, and this goes a great deal to decrease this mess as most of their droppings go right through the floor into the orchard to add fertilizer.
2. The elevated pool. Again, with an elevated pool and drain underneath, it becomes very very easy to drain, and refill their "pond" and keep it looking nice and not so muddy. With the screen floor then they cant make to huge of a mess since they cant get
mud into it.
3. Nesting Boxes. Mandarins and wood ducks like to have an elevated nesting box to lay their eggs. I built the top ramp that leads to a platform with 3 seperate nesting boxes. While I haven't seen this particular set up, I am hoping that they will
recognize this as a place to lay eggs and do so.
4. Sleeping area. On the opposite side I wanted a sleeping area seperate from the nesting boxes where they can be to get out of the bad weather. As most with ducks know, they hardly spend anytime in there anyway, so I didn't make it that large at all
Just big enough that they can all fit in there no problem
5. Elevated planter boxes. Going along with the theme of my chicken coop, I wanted some planter on here as well to give it not quite as much of a artificial look. My hope is that eventually the ivy I have planted will grow all around the entire thing, and
then I will just keep the front viewing area free of ivy so that the rest looks like a big green building. This is probably years from now, but you have to start somewhere right? The plantar boxes are made very water-proof so there is no leaking into the
other areas.
6. Heated water-bowl. Not that I will need it anymore this year, next winter I thought it was good to have thier water heated, so I got a dog bowl that is heated. Also, I am trying to figure out a way to get the pool heated as well. Anyone that has suggetions that would be appreciated.
Things I already know I would do different:
1. The ramps and top platform are solid wood. I think to do it again I would make them outlines in wood with wire as the floor still. It seems that most of the duck waste accumulates on the ramps since it is solid. I may still change this
2. The feed area. When it rains or snows it is messing up the feed as it gets all soggy. I am trying to figure a way out to fix this.
The front shot of the duck pen. top ramp in front, bottom ramp in back. Sleeping area to the right, Nesting area to the left.
Here is the nesting side. There are three nests that all have seperate opening to access the nest. In between the 3 nests are the two planting areas
This is the opposite side where I have an access door to the outside pen. I put the food right there because the water I can do from out side. to the left of the access door is the door to the sleeping area. Also the third pic shows inside the sleeping area where you can see my pair of wood ducks.
Here is the pond w/drain as well as underneath the pen where the drain pipe is.
Here is the top of the pen where they can access the nesting area. As well as some pictures of my Mandarins wondering what in the world I am doing.
Final Thoughts:
I love the pen and it seems to be working so far. As with any project there are a few things I would change. I love the mandarins pair and they seem very curious and seem to have gotten use to me and my fam. They are not near as spooked. The wood pair seems as wild as ever. I am not sure if some of you others have noticed that the woods act more wild then the mandarins, but it is the case for me. These mandarins are only yearlings so there is a chance that they will lay this spring, otherwise it will be next spring. Does anyone with Mandarins already have them laying eggs this early?
I also posted a similar post for my new chicken coop. If any of you would like to see it here is the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=323146
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