1st time duck owner/egg hatcher

[Herducks]

Just moved to michigan and decided I needed to get ducks for my border collies for herding. I am in the process of buying a house on 2/3 acre. I was planning on using a 100X100 area for the ducks. I jumped in head first and bought 18 indian runner duck eggs and put them in the incubator on tuesday. My concerns are my town requires pen be 2 feet off the ground. A friend is going to build be a duck house, does anyone have any suggestions for how big it needs to be and if it being that far off the ground will be a problem for ducks. Also I have heard people have seen coyotes in town. What is my best solution. Don't want anything so noisy the neighbors complain, but don't want to be feeding the coyotes either!

 

[Amiga]

Well, first,

Ducks can use a ramp, maximum 30% slope, if I recall. I covered the plywood with plastic poultry fence for grippiness (is that a word?).

Drakes are quiet, so if you want them for herding, a flock of drakes would take care of the noise situation. You would still get good fertilizer and weed and pest control.

I would also use a plywood floor for their house, not wire, to spare their feet. Shavings can easily be raked out and placed around trees and shrubs or in compost piles.