clear roof on a duck house?

[LaurelC]

I'm getting an old dog house and modifying it to take a hinged lid for the muscovies I'll hopefully be getting soon. I was thinking of using clear polycarbonate corrugated roofing so that I could more easily monitor the status of any nests that get built, but wanted to be sure that the clear roof wouldn't be something that they'd hate.

What has been your experience in regards to preference?

 

[laughingdog]

The hawks and cats around my place love to look in and try to freak out whatever is inside the clear roofed coop that was here when i moved in. So your scovy will probly dislike as much as mine.

 

[LaurelC]

Good to know. I guess I'll stick with an opaque roof over the house. Their run is going to be "roofed" with half welded wire, half clear corrugated roofing though, the corner they're getting is shady and I want as much light as possible.

 

[Amiga]

I used clear polycarbonate on the first duck house - it worked nicely.

 

[LaurelC]

I used clear polycarbonate on the first duck house - it worked nicely.

I may be overthinking this, but if given a choice, do you think the ducks would have preferred a darker house?

 

[Amiga]

They seemed quite content, and if there were trouble nearby, they would run into the house. I don't think there is right and wrong here. Go with your instincts. The ducks now have a night shelter in the walkout basement. Their ceiling is seven feet high, and they have a 9 foot wide, 4 foot tall window on one side. It ain't no dungeon

 

[Going Quackers]

I think the key is allowing natural light IMO. sun does give warmth in the winter, i realize that can be a neg in the heat of the summer but good venting should offset that.

No open roofing here BUT tons of windows in the main duck barn and big ones.. two of them are 3ft.. This main duck barn only houses Muscovy. They love the sun that flows in there.

 

[cosbackyard]

At least with chickens - they lay better with more light. Dark coops are not great for consistent laying. I think ducks are the same way but mine lay pretty consistently all year long, seemingly regardless of light.
I considered putting a clear roof on mine but went with corrugated metal and windows. if I had it to do again I'd probably go with a smoked poly roof (clear might be a little too much.)

Ducks prefer being outside anyway, so if you can make it feel closer to outside they might appreciate that.

 

[Going Quackers]

They seemed quite content, and if there were trouble nearby, they would run into the house. I don't think there is right and wrong here. Go with your instincts. The ducks now have a night shelter in the walkout basement. Their ceiling is seven feet high, and they have a 9 foot wide, 4 foot tall window on one side. It ain't no dungeon

Ah, the real question is do they have a "window seat"