Bantam space requirements

[Emmaxx]

I find the whole minimum space requirements thing quite confusing with all the things you have to take into account. Also the things I have read usually give recommendations for pekins/heavy breeds, occasionally call ducks, and only one that even mentioned bantams as needing slightly more than call ducks for which they recommended 1sqft......so 2sqft? And then if it's 2 square foot indoor space how much outdoor space?
As I say I know there are lots of variables, and ideally you give them as much space as you can, but as a rule of thumb to follow for a minimum provision how much space would that be?

Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

In Storeys guide to raising ducks he says 2-10sq'per duck for outside run space the larger the better.

Inside is 2-6sq' per duck depending on size of breed but then again the larger the better.

 

[Emmaxx]

In Storeys guide to raising ducks he says 2-10sq'per duck for outside run space the larger the better.

Inside is 2-6sq' per duck depending on size of breed but then again the larger the better.

Thanks Lydia.

 

[Emmaxx]

I feel a bit stupid asking this but with this one, with it only giving dimensions including the nest box area is it okay to use these dimensions, or should the nest box be discounted? With it being ducks and not chickens I assume it's okay to include this space....?

 

[Emmaxx]

Also @Miss Lydia, is this on the understanding of outdoor=day time space, indoor=locked in there for the night only? Would it make a difference if the whole thing (indoor and outdoor as they please) was available to them through the night?

 

[Emmaxx]

I've been off doing a lot of calculations and metre to inches to feet to square feet conversions

Does 35.72sqft, that's 8.93sqft per duck (a combination of that coop above at 3.22sqft (including nest box area) and a run that gives 5.71sqft per duck) sound okay as a minimum size?

They will be in there from 6pm at night til about 7.30-8am, so about 14 hours. Would this size also be okay for the weekends (so 6pm Friday until 7.30-8am Monday)? I'm not sure if this will be the case, but in case I don't hear anything different I will assume that someone will come by for food/water each day, but they wont be coming to let them out in the morning and return in the evening to lock them back up again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How Many ducks? If they are going to be able to have the whole run and house 24/7 with out being locked in at night will depend on how many ducks will be in there, it's a nice house Just don't want to over crowd especially with drakes.

 

[Emmaxx]

Oh sorry, its 3 ducks and 1 drake.

It's for the school (not sure if you remember). I've been told to give a list of what they need to get and they'll do it. Sounds great, but it's rather vague and I've had no response from my questions about how long they'd be confined vs free ranging etc I'm not sure how specific he's expecting me to be either, so I'm hoping to say the more the better but if they will be in it all day every day and never be allowed out they will need a minimum of X square feet (and give an example product he could just buy/order without any more thought) reducing in size as the amount of time free-ranging increasing until it reaches what I have described above for a night time (and weekend if necessary) enclosure but they will be allowed to free roam for the other 10 hours a day between 8am and 6pm.

I assume that coop (with added ventilation I would imagine) be okay as a minimum whatever the set up is like around it, and it would just be the amount of space around it that would need to change in relation to how much time is spent confined in it? They would not be locked into the coop itself at any point, only into the enclosure as a whole.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes try to get large as you can being bantam they still need as much space as can be allotted for them especially if they won't be able to free range much. A lot of people keep ducks in runs so it isn't unusual but space requirement will have to be modified to accommodate that.

 

[Emmaxx]

Thanks