any detailed plans you can buy for duckhouse/runs?

[ambrose]

When i was still thinking chickens my plan was to buy the Garden Coop pdf plans. Any equivalent for ducks?

I'm not very experienced building stuff. I'm the sort who needs pdf instructions telling me exactly what to do.

I think what I'm looking for is how to make a 8' x 10' run (covered, 6' high) with a 3' x 4' house. I'd like to be able to access the house w/out walking into the pen. I'm thinking this would be for 3-6 bantam sized birds. In theory I'd like to let them out a lot, but the pen might be full time. (I only really plan on three, but want to leave open the possibility for more. (i might either start w/6 ducklings or two adults -- a either give away or use the extras as meat birds).

It would need to be super-safe. I've seen a racoon on the neighbor's fence in broad daylight.

anything out there? Think i could just duck-modify the Garden Coop one? I really like the clear roof above the mesh top -- in a perfect world I'd grow grapes or something up going above the wire, but below the roof)

 

[Amiga]

I got my ideas from Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. There is a drawing there. I decided to go with four sides and a sliding door from something I saw on BYC.

My setup is largely based on site limitations. There is not much open, flat space at my place. So the 4'x8' house is end to end with the 4'x8' porch, which attaches to the 10'x16' day pen.

It's simple, too, as I did not know anything about building such things when I began. A drill and a circular saw became my closest friends that summer. My neighbor did most of the construction of the house, from designs I drew up (very basic, nothing professional). I did the rest.

I have the polycarbonate panels for roofing and love them! I also use hardware cloth between the top of the duck house wall and the supports for the roof panels to keep the 'coons out.

I know this isn't a link to designs, but I hope there is something useful in here for you.

eta: ya know, there was a web site with a simple dog house design for free, and that is what I used to get started on my design. . . let me see if I can find that again.
found it: http://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/how_to_build_a_custom_insulated_dog_house

It gave me enough detail that I could translate it into a simple 4'x8' double walled box, then I added the slanted roof.

 

[ChicagoDucks]

You guys are very organized!! We just piled up our spare lumber in the yard one saturday, and the duck run was finished when we ran out of wood!

 

[Amiga]

What a gift to be able to pull it together like that!

You guys are very organized!! We just piled up our spare lumber in the yard one saturday, and the duck run was finished when we ran out of wood!

 

[ChicagoDucks]

I don't know about that, I bet our ducks would appreciate a roof on their house.

What a gift to be able to pull it together like that!