I use pine shavings for their nesting area but I prefer smaller size rocks with sand for the enclosure floor. Especially in the summer because I take the hose right in with me and rinse the poo away..... they're extremely messy from their bottom ends. Straw didn't work well for me with the...
My Pekins have a secure duck house with hardware cloth... the whole 9 yards.... and they rarely like to be in it during the day :lau
Even in our Michigan winters they're just 'chillin' in the snow with the cold wind. They get locked up at night but they go back to their house/pen by themselves