Building new set-up for 10 runners. Give me your comments/suggestions

[rgn87]

Okay so here is how it works out. 44'x12' and also a small foraging area (about 10'x8'). I plan to have two kiddie pools on for swimming (filled 3/4 of the way up) and the other for bathing only filled 1/4 way up. I also plan to build a 4'x8' "living quarters" for them to sleep in in the winter, and maybe even lay some eggs in there (I doubt they will).

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this is a rough sketch so please don't hate. Any suggestions will be awesome.

By the way i just love my little runners. They all snuggle together when they sleep and look super cute. I also love how they run so fast, they remind me of that super fast Ewok from Battle for Endor.

 

[TLWR]

First - they will do what they want in BOTH pools. They don't care what your intentions for each pool are, they have their own agenda for them.

What are your 'living quarters' plans - do you know how you want to clean it and how your building of it will accommodate that? They will be pooping on the walls of their house, so you will likely want to be able to clean it every so often.

The area around the pools - will get trampled/soggy/etc and basically just be dirt/mud. If that is an issue (it will make the pool messier), put something under/around the pool. I have pea stone in the duck yard where the pool is. Helps to keep the pool cleaner LOL really, it does!!

 

[critterranch]

they can drill holes in ground 6-8 deep in minutes near the edge of pool. if no pea gravel in put down. if you fill the pool 1/4 they probly wont even use it and just muddy the other pool faster.
i think is small for 10 runners if you want grass. they will patty cake it and poo it up in hours. the living quarters in plenty big enough. i would just give them for forage room.

 

[rgn87]

small!!

 

[critterranch]

if you want grass it is. you need time for grass to recover. if grass is not that important than it fine. i only pen mine until about 7 weeks then they are free range. they can do some damage.

 

[rgn87]

There is no grass it is dirt and concrete

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Is there a reason why they can't/shouldn't roam your whole yard? My ducks have a dirt-floored house that they're confined to overnight, but are allowed to roam the whole fenced yard during the day. If you can't do that, perhaps you could use fencing that can be moved periodically to give them fresh grass & let the used area recover. Then you also wouldn't need to give them as large of a space.

And I agree that they don't need 2 different pools, they're going to drink, swim & bathe in whatever water they have. Make it easy to drain & refill. Have it on slightly higher ground and it will be easy to siphon out -- allowing the dirty duck water to go away from the pen.

Be sure to plan for spectator seating, you'll want to spend lots of time just sitting & watching your ducks go about their ducky business.

 

[Amiga]

I would be interested in how your pool idea turns out - give it a try and see if they use them differently.

Looks like they have some good space - drainage needs to be very good to avoid yuckiness especially in summer. I think you have a good start here. Just some ideas for things that work for me:

I use some pea gravel around the swim pans - one section of the yard is under leaves, another under straw, and another under sawdust - I want to see how each one fares. Leaves seem to absorb odor the best, so they are around the pea gravel.

I have a channel where I dump the swim pans and that fertilized water goes to my grapes, which love it! You might want to think about making it easy on yourself to move loads of enriched material (a.k.a. poopy straw) onto compost piles or garden beds.

I have a 4'x8' double walled insulated house for my ten runners. they spend winter in the 50 degree basement, though. Nine eggs a day, by the way.

When I put vinyl flooring in their house, I ran it up the wall somewhere between six inches and a foot. Makes for easier occasional cleaning and should keep the plywood intact much longer. No food or water in the house, but an attached, half inch hardware cloth covered 4'x8' veranda where they have water and, during the day, food (food removed at night to reduce possible attraction of wildlife).

I have a couple of strands of electric fence around the house and veranda for extra nighttime security.

I have a small area, maybe four by six, with a roof over it outside the veranda. I pile straw under here, and it stays fairly dry. I turn it about once a week in mild weather - the ducks love going for sprouts and bugs in it. Then I add a little more dry straw on top.

So I think space wise you are looking good for now. Keep adjusting your design, for their benefit and yours. Since I am not a tall or very large person, I did not make a tall duck house or very wide doors. Just tall enough (four to five feet for nighttime and about a meter for the day pen), just wide enough.

Make it work for you!

Good job so far! Keep it coming!

 

[critterranch]

when you say " small foraging area (about 10'x8'). " foraging usually means grassy area right? or did you mean something else?

 

[rgn87]

yes