Any tips for keeping duck pen dry?

[DuckWild]

Hi everyone! I am a fairly new duck owner and am still figuring most things out My 4 six-week-old drakes just moved to their outside pen on Sunday! I am very excited that they are outside now as their brooder was getting way too small.
Needless to say, I've noticed that where I have put their waterers it is getting realllly muddy. I bought some pea gravel and am planning on putting that under their water. I currently have pea gravel under the cleaning vent in their house that I use to spray water out and clean and it seems to be keeping the mud at bay pretty well, so I'm hoping it will do the same with their water areas.
Does anyone have any other tips/ideas for keeping the mud away in your duck pens?
Thank you!!

 

[duckduck_goose]

Ducks are naturally messy creatures. They love their water.

If possible, extending their run and giving them more space would help lessen the mess. Or, there's a lot of stuff on YouTube about how to have "clean" duck pens, but doing so is almost impossible since ducks cannot live without a mess, it seems. Or at least mine can't haha.

Pea gravel might help, and I've been thinking about putting some down in my run, but it was brought to my attention that pea gravel might get really hot when the weather is really hot. I live in a place where we have extreme seasons --- up to 90s in summer and down to -40s in winter. In the winter, pea gravel may work, but just keep note of how hot the pea gravel gets in the heat.

 

[DuckWild]

Ducks are naturally messy creatures. They love their water.

If possible, extending their run and giving them more space would help lessen the mess. Or, there's a lot of stuff on YouTube about how to have "clean" duck pens, but doing so is almost impossible since ducks cannot live without a mess, it seems. Or at least mine can't haha.

Pea gravel might help, and I've been thinking about putting some down in my run, but it was brought to my attention that pea gravel might get really hot when the weather is really hot. I live in a place where we have extreme seasons --- up to 90s in summer and down to -40s in winter. In the winter, pea gravel may work, but just keep note of how hot the pea gravel gets in the heat.

Their pen is 15'x8' and there is only four of them, and from what I've read this should be a good amount of space for them. That is definitely a good tip on the pea gravel, as I would never have thought of that ! Do you think sand would work better? Or be just as messy as mud?

 

[Blue Andalusian]

Hi everyone! I am a fairly new duck owner and am still figuring most things out My 4 six-week-old drakes just moved to their outside pen on Sunday! I am very excited that they are outside now as their brooder was getting way too small.
Needless to say, I've noticed that where I have put their waterers it is getting realllly muddy. I bought some pea gravel and am planning on putting that under their water. I currently have pea gravel under the cleaning vent in their house that I use to spray water out and clean and it seems to be keeping the mud at bay pretty well, so I'm hoping it will do the same with their water areas.
Does anyone have any other tips/ideas for keeping the mud away in your duck pens?
Thank you!!

there is some uck waterers that are spouse to be mess-ree (maybe not 100% but cleaner then usual)

 

[duckduck_goose]

Their pen is 15'x8' and there is only four of them, and from what I've read this should be a good amount of space for them. That is definitely a good tip on the pea gravel, as I would never have thought of that ! Do you think sand would work better? Or be just as messy as mud?

Hmm, I don't know. I just did some research and it seems like it would be messy. I think it might depend on how well your soil drains. Maybe you could dig a hole, then throw pea gravel (for drainage), and then some sand on top of that? You'd probably have to clean out the sand every once in a while, since it is bound to mix with the dirt/mud and become messy. But I think it might work. I have no clue lol.

Just saw this thread, barely glanced at it. Maybe this would help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-an-outdoor-pen-and-very-messy-ducks.1670249/

 

[duckduck_goose]

Their pen is 15'x8' and there is only four of them, and from what I've read this should be a good amount of space for them. That is definitely a good tip on the pea gravel, as I would never have thought of that ! Do you think sand would work better? Or be just as messy as mud?

Just found this thread. It's supposed to be for brooders, but maybe you could make something of the likes? The thread starter mentioned having seen similar stuff for outdoor runs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder.641902/

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Does anyone have any other tips/ideas for keeping the mud away in your duck pens?

You could put plastic gratings in the pen...
...and/or put stepping stones underneath your waterers, so your ducks can NOT dig there.

Good luck!

 

[DuckWild]

Hmm, I don't know. I just did some research and it seems like it would be messy. I think it might depend on how well your soil drains. Maybe you could dig a hole, then throw pea gravel (for drainage), and then some sand on top of that? You'd probably have to clean out the sand every once in a while, since it is bound to mix with the dirt/mud and become messy. But I think it might work. I have no clue lol.

Just saw this thread, barely glanced at it. Maybe this would help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what’s-the-best-bedding-substrate-to-use-for-an-outdoor-pen-and-very-messy-ducks.1670249/

I went to the store yesterday and bought some pea gravel, river rock, sand. I dug a 2-inch hole in the front right corner of the coop where I have been putting their water, and filled it with sand and then the river rock. I also framed out a square with scrap 2x4's I had and covered it in hardware cloth and set the whole thing on top of the river rock. Their water is on top of that and it has worked great so far! They can't access where the water drips and make it messy and muddy, and it has nice drainage with the rocks and sand.
Thanks for all your help/advice!

 

[DuckWild]

Hi.



You could put plastic gratings in the pen...
...and/or put stepping stones underneath your waterers, so your ducks can NOT dig there.

Good luck!

Ha, yes, I have notices little holes in the mud where they have been digging I utilized some rocks/sand for drainage and to help with mud. It's working so far!

 

[duckduck_goose]

I went to the store yesterday and bought some pea gravel, river rock, sand. I dug a 2-inch hole in the front right corner of the coop where I have been putting their water, and filled it with sand and then the river rock. I also framed out a square with scrap 2x4's I had and covered it in hardware cloth and set the whole thing on top of the river rock. Their water is on top of that and it has worked great so far! They can't access where the water drips and make it messy and muddy, and it has nice drainage with the rocks and sand.
Thanks for all your help/advice!

Happy to know you've found what works for you! Let me know how it works --- I might be interested in doing the same for my own messy ducks!