Conflicting information on SqFt for Duck House

[amandamc]

Hello everyone!

I've done lots of digging in this forum but I have seen very conflicting information on the subject so I thought I would ask.

I have read everything from 3 to 25 SqFt per duck for the duck house. I understand the variances for when they have access to fields of green grass and ponds versus a small area, but that's a HUGE difference.

My husband and I are taking a trip to get the supplies for our duck house this weekend so I am a little short for time on coming up with a size. Thankfully I do have a design already. The ducklings have not hatched yet and will be in the brooder (in our home) until of age, especially as we have had (still having) a crazy winter. We just want to give ourselves plenty of time for the build and according to my husband my crazy paint scheme.

As far as wide open spaces go they will have plenty of space (we have 40 acres) for their "run" I just want the option to add more ducks and use the same house in the future without having to add/rebuild every year or two. Starting out with 10 or 11 WH, this of course being optimistic that they will all be very healthy and see laying age and years after.

 

[creaturelife]

well i have about 2 sf per duck and they mostly stay in the run all day long other then on female mallard she has a nest in there and does not want any one to bother it well i say 2 sf per duck should be good for them to sleep in and lay eggs just let them out every day

 

[Amiga]

25 Square feet per duck and more is from Storey's Guide for pen size for ducks that don't get to free range, if I recall.

About 4 square feet (just checked and he writes "two to six… depending on their size and temperament") per medium to large duck for the duck house, especially if there will be times of bad weather when they must remain indoors for extended periods of time. I have about 85 square feet of duck house for thirteen small (4 pound average) ducks. That seems to be working fine.

 

[amandamc]

Thank you both! I have been reading so much lately from books, forums, and talking to local duck owners that I probably look

Now to the drafting board I go!

 

[johari]

I have two ducks. I made their house 2x2. Feet that is. Since they get to free range during the day. It seems to work for them. They both pile into the nest box at night anyway.

 

[Amiga]

I wrote on another thread, I feel compelled to mention here (you probably have this covered), but after this year with all the arctic blasts and snow and ice and wind, think about how you are going to get to the shelter, keep it warm enough, deal with water (if you plan to only offer water outside the shelter, what about the weeks it does not rise above freezing?).

And then there are the miserably hot summers . . . .

 

[amandamc]

It's a good place to mention it! I do indeed have it covered but that doesn't mean it wont make someone else put their thinking cap on.

 

[Going Quackers]

Honestly? build a bit bigger than you think you need, sure people talk of chicken math, somewhere, somehow "duck math" got forgotten, i had to addition on the main mini barn, build another two coops... do you get where i am going? i have sold the bulk of the "kids" off but the numbers go up and down.. it's never stagnant. Plan for change.

 

[Amiga]

"Plan for change." Going Quackers phrased it well.

Definitely.

I have five times the number of ducks I originally imagined getting. Partly because we were blessed with healthy ducks, the fence has held, and we adopted an additional five as I learned how many ducks are dumped every year after Easter.

Also, when the Coffee trio needed to be in their own space (long story), it was not that hard to split the Day Pen (yay me, with two gates!) and manage them.

Space for sick bay, space for broodies, space for a good watering station, space for time-out, space for laying out a pallet for a nap . . .

I think amandamc has planned for it - and in the interest of future readers, these things are good to point out (as she also wrote above).

 

[Going Quackers]

Yes, i started with 4, i currently have 6x more than that, and have had even more just again sold off the kids, had a few loses... like i said it never stays the same.