Converting a Dog Crate

[TheBurrowHomestead]

Hi all!
I’m considering trying to turn a dog crate into a coop for some of my ducks. Duck math happened and I don’t think they’ll ALL want to squeeze into the coop I have together. Has anyone tried putting a tarp or some other kind of siding on a crate to make a coop? Any tips? Is this a bad idea?
Thanks!

 

[Brooke_R]

Hi all!
I’m considering trying to turn a dog crate into a coop for some of my ducks. Duck math happened and I don’t think they’ll ALL want to squeeze into the coop I have together. Has anyone tried putting a tarp or some other kind of siding on a crate to make a coop? Any tips? Is this a bad idea?
Thanks!

If you do, cover the crate with hardware cloth and get a little padlock to help make sure no raccoons can open it

 

[TheBurrowHomestead]

If you do, cover the crate with hardware cloth and get a little padlock to help make sure no raccoons can open it

OH YES! I forgot to say I would be putting it in the duck run, which is covered in hardware cloth and has a padlock outside that can only be unlocked with a key. Thank you for bringing that up!

 

[ruthhope]

I have two medium sized dog crates adjacent to each other inside my coop. They each house a pekin drake overnight, size 30" x 20" height 21". They will not need a tarp in the winter as they are inside my coop, but I will put straw bales over them next winter. [The drakes just had straw bales and a repurposed wall cabinet as cold weather shelter in the coop last winter, but the drakes have started squabbling at night this year and need separating.]
I have a larger dog crate 36x23 height 25", that could take 2 muscovy drakes overnight. It could also take my son's 3 females [2 pekin [one verry small] and 1 muscovy [also very small] in an emergency. I don't think it is big enough to regularly house 3 ducks. How many ducks does your ducky math suggest need to stay in a dogcrate, TheBurrowHomestead?

 

[TheBurrowHomestead]

I have two medium sized dog crates adjacent to each other inside my coop. They each house a pekin drake overnight, size 30" x 20" height 21". They will not need a tarp in the winter as they are inside my coop, but I will put straw bales over them next winter. [The drakes just had straw bales and a repurposed wall cabinet as cold weather shelter in the coop last winter, but the drakes have started squabbling at night this year and need separating.]
I have a larger dog crate 36x23 height 25", that could take 2 muscovy drakes overnight. It could also take my son's 3 females [2 pekin [one verry small] and 1 muscovy [also very small] in an emergency. I don't think it is big enough to regularly house 3 ducks. How many ducks does your ducky math suggest need to stay in a dogcrate, TheBurrowHomestead?

I currently have 4 ducks, but I’m unsure how many are drakes, so I am hoping to house each pair in their separate spaces. I might be picking up one more duck, so I for sure have one hen, one drake, and then I would have 3 whose sex I do not know yet. My coop would comfortably house 4, but 5 feels like a squeeze! It’s just a large dog house that I adjusted in order to make it a duck house! So I figure, the dog crate could make a good home for one of the pairs, or a place for a naughty drake come spring.

 

[ruthhope]

I currently have 4 ducks, but I’m unsure how many are drakes, so I am hoping to house each pair in their separate spaces. I might be picking up one more duck, so I for sure have one hen, one drake, and then I would have 3 whose sex I do not know yet. My coop would comfortably house 4, but 5 feels like a squeeze! It’s just a large dog house that I adjusted in order to make it a duck house! So I figure, the dog crate could make a good home for one of the pairs, or a place for a naughty drake come spring.

Yes a pair! It wouldn't be kind to have one isolated on its own. My two pekin drakes are right by each other -- no tarp between them -- they are crated to stop bullying by my two muscovy drakes. With the crates adjacent to eachother, the two pekins are really happy with their accommodation -- they toddle in on their own in the evening, although they don't always go into their own crate! The muscovy do interact [normally, not aggressively] with the pekins in the crates. One muscovy sleeps right in front of the pekins crates -- the coop has plenty of space and so sleeping there is a definite choice.

 

[TheBurrowHomestead]

Yes a pair! It wouldn't be kind to have one isolated on its own. My two pekin drakes are right by each other -- no tarp between them -- they are crated to stop bullying by my two muscovy drakes. With the crates adjacent to eachother, the two pekins are really happy with their accommodation -- they toddle in on their own in the evening, although they don't always go into their own crate! The muscovy do interact [normally, not aggressively] with the pekins in the crates. One muscovy sleeps right in front of the pekins crates -- the coop has plenty of space and so sleeping there is a definite choice.

Oh, amazing! Thank you for the info! Do you have bedding in the crate, or just the wire flooring? How can I protect their sensitive little feet??

 

[indianaducks]

Wire dog crates will rust over time just FYI.

 

[TheBurrowHomestead]

Wire dog crates will rust over time just FYI.

Oooh, good point. I hadn’t thought of that yet!

 

[indianaducks]

Oooh, good point. I hadn’t thought of that yet!

I have a garage full of crates because I have performance/sport dogs and the crates that are used outside even just at weekend events are always more "used" looking than the ones that stay inside. I would think it would be fine for a while, but not sure how long?