6x8 shed Duck house is on blocks a foot high, is it ok to let them go under there or should I close off the space with hardware cloth?

[Jenbirdee]

We converted a beautiful Amish playhouse/shed into our duck house. At first it was only 6 inches off the ground and I had closed off all the sides with boards, but after a few months a creature (likely was a rat) moved in underneath. After setting traps every night and filling tunnels and holes every morning for several weeks, we jacked up the house and raised it higher on cinderclocks, to clean out underneath. In the meantime I moved my ducks into a new area of the yard. The creature left, and now I have to decide how to make it safe for the ducks to return to their stomping grounds. My husband says let them go under the house, but I remember reading somewhere that it's not good to have spaces the ducks can go underneath. When it was 6" high I knew they could get stuck under there so I had boarded it up, but now there's probably enough space for them to go under without getting stuck. I have hardware cloth and can dig a trench and skirt the whole building if I have to. If I leave it up on the cinderblocks I will also have to build a new ramp. I can't decide if I should lower it back down and add the hardware cloth, or add the hardware cloth to it the way it is, or just leave it the way it is now and let them enjoy going underneath?

 

[Chickeng1rl567]

I would suggest blocking it off. Those areas collect predators like rats and snakes that will be waiting to get one of your ducks that wander under there. Maybe you could set up a little canopy for some shade for the ducks instead.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I would suggest blocking it off. Those areas collect predators like rats and snakes that will be waiting to get one of your ducks that wander under there. Maybe you could set up a little canopy for some shade for the ducks instead.

Thank you, That is so true. And they have other shade areas already.

 

[sourland]

If they have access underneath their house, they may very well lay eggs there making it difficult to retrieve them.

 

[Jenbirdee]

wow yes that's true too. thanks. so I'm definitely blocking it off, I just went out and lowered the house down to a 8 inch space underneath it now, so there can be air flow underneath but the ramp won't have to be too steep, and next I have to dig the trench for the hardware cloth. It would be easier if it wasn't so hot and humid out. My ducks and geese have nice pools to swim in... but I don't, LOL