Converting chicken tractor to a Duck Hutch

[echo81577]

So this is a 10x5 chicken tractor that we are repurposing into a duck hutch. We obviously will take down the two horizontal roosting bars, and then have an enclosed area along the far end you see pictured. What's the best way enclose it to make it 1- easy to clean bedding 2- gather eggs. I'm picturing a horizontal box down low with an opening door for them on one end, maybe on a hinge for easy cleaning? Maybe a hinge lid to get eggs? There will be space above it. Don't know what to do with that extra space on top, maybe just nothing? How high of ramp will they use?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My ducks bed down in the ground. As long as they are sheltered from drafts, and not being rained on, they are happy Pekins. Leaf litter and straw form the cover for the run floor, and plastic milk crates (with more straw) are their preferred nest space.

Not sure how tall that is, and if you are better off going in for the milk crates, oe cutting holes to access from outside.

As to a ramp? Steepest i can get a duck to use is only about 1" rise per 3" run. Thats pretty shallow, but would get them up on a low platform if you were concerned about a muddy run or the like.

Honestly, the upper space won't be useful except to allow you in there to do your work cleaning, if your birds are anyrhing like mine. They are very 2 dimensional if you follow my drift.

Are you fixing that in place, or continuing to move it like a tractor? There are pros and cons to both options.

 

[Beaglegal]

Yeah my ducks bed down and lay on the ground. They don't seem inclined to use nest boxes. They like a layer of good thick bedding and I rake the poop off the top and replenish the top layer. If I had a movable shelter like yours I would probably go with a thinner layer and just move it around. Duck poop dissolves pretty quick around here. They do like a lot of overhead space vs none, even if they dont use it, for some reason.

 

[ruthhope]

My muscovies have a pen similar to yours, although it is arched rather than pointed. It also has a white tarp. I am in NE Florida and so cold here is in the 30s. We rarely get frost and the coldest temps in the last 10 years were 30F for 4 straight days/nights in January 2014.

The pen is well ventilated and, with deep bedding, amply warm enough in my NE Florida conditions.

This winter, I put in a kitchen wall cabinet without doors. When it was very cold two ducks slept inside. Now, two of the muscovies prefer to sleep on top. I store a reserve bale of pine straw on top to one side, and the smallest muscovy likes getting up there. So the height in my pen is great for me getting inside to clean, and great for two of my climbing muscovies.

Another muscovy is too fat to get on top and goes inside when I put fresh pinestraw inside. I don't know if she ever sleeps in there. Similarly my pekin drake: he can't get on top, does check out inside but I don't know if he sleeps inside when it is cold.

 

[igorsMistress]

My ducks are content to sleep under shrubs and never lay in the coop except once in a blue moon. They have their favorite spots in the yard for laying though. Essentially, all you need is straw on the ground for a soft spot and enough space to spread out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That looks like it will make a nice duck coop, Just make sure it has good ventilation and you can secure them inside at night. [If you plan on keeping them a long time] I use pine shavings for the floor of my duck houses. Mine lay in the shaving they don't use nest boxes. Well one has my Muscovy but she had to share.lol

 

[igorsMistress]

That looks like it will make a nice duck coop, Just make sure it has good ventilation and you can secure them inside at night. [If you plan on keeping them a long time] I use pine shavings for the floor of my duck houses. Mine lay in the shaving they don't use nest boxes. Well one has my Muscovy but she had to share.lolView attachment 2908338

Is that a covered litter box? If so that’s a great idea!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep they love them.

 

[ChickenLeg]

Thats a really nice chicken tractor