Cleaning pens

[Hemmywife]

How often should I be cleaning a ducks pen? I know ducks can be messy, and I like to be very clean with them, but it seems like I go through so much straw and shavings. I have spot cleaned the poop up. It’s an never ending battle. Any tips as to what I can do would be great!

I added a pictures of the pens and how they look

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I spot clean and add more daily or perhaps every other day, I actually dig it all out and start fresh every week.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Trying to keep anything with ducks clean is like trying to brush your teeth while eating oreos. lol I change their pools every other day most of the year. In the winter I may go every three or four days as they don't seem to foul the water as often. Mine are in a large pen with 4-6 inches of mulch/ramial wood chippings/pine straw, etc to keep them out of the mud. I can rake through that occasionally to freshen things up. I don't know what I'd do if they were in something smaller and more enclosed. Having babies confined for a few weeks makes me crazy enough.

 

[KaleIAm]

I also empty and clean mine out every weekend. I do a little spot cleaning everyday or every other day. I just take my pitch fork and remove the poopy straw from their sleeping corner, and replace it with fresh straw. Then I sprinkle sweet pdz over high poop areas. My ducks are in a barn room, about 10 X 10 feet, and I only have 3 ducks. This might seem excessive but if I leave their room for two weeks their bedding can get musty.

One thing that has helped cut down on the mess considerably for me is allowing my ducks to only have water outside during the day. If you do that you'll have to not feed them in their coop also.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I switched to large flake shavings and really like it. I fluff it every morning and change it out as needed.....which has been far less than when using fine shavings. I think it was 2 weeks this last round.

I do have 5 windows as well as additional venting on the 5x8 structure and 4 windows are left open so far.

It probably helps that I live where humidity tends to be quite low.

 

[KaleIAm]

I switched to large flake shavings and really like it. I fluff it every morning and change it out as needed.....which has been far less than when using fine shavings. I think it was 2 weeks this last round.

I do have 5 windows as well as additional venting on the 5x8 structure and 4 windows are left open so far.

It probably helps that I live where humidity tends to be quite low.

Good point about the humidity. It is crazy high where I live - near Seattle. That surely affects things.

 

[Beaglegal]

I also empty and clean mine out every weekend. I do a little spot cleaning everyday or every other day. I just take my pitch fork and remove the poopy straw from their sleeping corner, and replace it with fresh straw. Then I sprinkle sweet pdz over high poop areas. My ducks are in a barn room, about 10 X 10 feet, and I only have 3 ducks. This might seem excessive but if I leave their room for two weeks their bedding can get musty.

One thing that has helped cut down on the mess considerably for me is allowing my ducks to only have water outside during the day. If you do that you'll have to not feed them in their coop also.

I actually feed my ducks in the barn and have their water outside and they do fine. It actually keeps their water cleaner because they usually spit less food into the water because they swallow it before they get to the water. I only feed crumble but the seem to do fine.

 

[KaleIAm]

I actually feed my ducks in the barn and have their water outside and they do fine. It actually keeps their water cleaner because they usually spit less food into the water because they swallow it before they get to the water. I only feed crumble but the seem to do fine.

I could have been more specific about the food/water. I meant if the original poster takes away access to water they will have to take away food as well. I thought it might be important to specify since I didn't know how much knowledge the original poster had. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Weeg]

How often should I be cleaning a ducks pen? I know ducks can be messy, and I like to be very clean with them, but it seems like I go through so much straw and shavings. I have spot cleaned the poop up. It’s an never ending battle. Any tips as to what I can do would be great!

I added a pictures of the pens and how they look

Same with my ducks! Its tough especially in the rainy season! @KaleIAm was helpful for me!

 

[Beaglegal]

I could have been more specific about the food/water. I meant if the original poster takes away access to water they will have to take away food as well. I thought it might be important to specify since I didn't know how much knowledge the original poster had. Sorry for any confusion.

Ahhh that makes sense, I misunderstood. For sure, their food gets put away once they are locked up.