Building the ultimate duck coop

[jconnon]

I thought the same thing as soon as I saw it.

 

[jconnon]

I thought the same thing as soon as I saw it.

Talking about the Beware of the Duck sign.

 

[farmgirl315]

With your pond like that mellykins68 how have you found is the best way to clean it?

 

[Mellykins68]

That was just filled, trust me it doesn't look like that now. My husband is thinking of a filtration system for it, he put a pipe in that goes out the back of the pen with a valve/plug that drains the water then we can hose it down. I'm wondering how often people change out the water, I know they are dirty ducks but the water isn't a week old and it looks pretty gross.

 

[Welshies]

I use a 4-season duck tractor. Simple, secure, easy, breezy. It works awesome for six ducks. Here is a picture when it was in progress.

I made the run area framed with roof, sides, and front, and double layered chicken wire. Nothing has gotten through yet. The door is a little small, but it's strong and works well. The ventilation at the tops of the roof will be added to soon, and the half wall at the front has a post added on the right hand side, with wire attached from that post to the side. We have a shelf in the top for bedding, food, etc.
To keep it clean, one automatic waterer inside a shallow rubber pan is given, along with a half covered bucket for nare and eye washing. Two are hung outside, and their food is inside. I do not hose out their coop every day. I use the deep litter method, and strip clean in spring and fall.
Ducks pretty much lay wherever they want, but there are a select few that lay in designated spots.
Oh, as for space. In the coop, I have 4sqft/duck, but room for eight ducks. In the run, 6sqft/duck, room for eight ducks. They're happy, but the run needs more space technically. So I let them free range when I'm outside, and they're the happiest flock of ducks around!

 

[kyra359]

Do you have detailed schematics or "plans" for building this house?

 

[hereorthere]

We recently joined our duck house and chicken house together. Doors open on both ends for easy clean out (I hose it out daily). Ducks have a side door open all day as well

Noticed the stone steps for the ducks....any leg issues? Do u have any of the heavier ducks? Hubs and I are designing a duck house, at least 2 ft up......I'm thinking they can handle steps exactly what u have, but he's concerned about their hopping ability and wants a ramp. I'm planning on having mainly WH, a runner or two, then a Peking or two.

 

[TLWR]

Noticed the stone steps for the ducks....any leg issues? Do u have any of the heavier ducks? Hubs and I are designing a duck house, at least 2 ft up......I'm thinking they can handle steps exactly what u have, but he's concerned about their hopping ability and wants a ramp. I'm planning on having mainly WH, a runner or two, then a Peking or two.

The first house they had was up on the deck which is 3'+ off the ground and they had no issues going up or down the stairs after they figured them out.
The had the option of stairs and a ramp into their pond, they would never touch the ramp. My girls I guess just like stairs.
I have runners and a welsh harlequin.
The steps are just landscape blocks, so no different than them walking over something out in the yard. They have no issues with the short stairs. The deck stairs required more work, but they still come up to let me know when the food hut is empty.