Tara,Our first duck barn. I raise all birds on ground (river sand, topped with oat straw)...abhor wire raising.
Duck barn in summer - 16 by 30 - note the dumpable duck pond on the left
New people sized doors installed, still got to get to the other side...doors done, just never quite found time to do it all up.
I have a mess of cut down panels to divide these compartments further for breeding purposes. I use those dog poop clutch scoops to pick up rubber pans and eggs over the panelled compartments.
Barn is wired for hanging heat lamps/heated water buckets and I completely cover over duck fronts with full sheets of tenplast for winter wind protection...take them off in winter when sunny day for vitamin D for ducks...need that for decent egg shell production and health.
Security cameras running and the outbuilding doors are all padlocked...never be too safe nowadays, eh. Predators of the two legged kind need to be deterred too.
This is the Duck Barn in October 2014.
Basically a post built barn that functions with not just ducks, but turks, chickens, swans, Ruddies...yeh, good for whatever kinda birds and if we wanted, work for sheeps and whatever else our hearts wanted to put in there I guess.
Bird yard...
EMPTY
OCCUPIED
After the birds are out and about and then tucked away (eye of a storm in the below pic...hails in summer here)...
I hose down their plops so the grass is not smothered...so location to water is another thing to consider to keep the grounds up. We have had ducks for decades and the land is what you care for...land looks good, you are doing a great job keeping the balance of the harmony on the go.
June 21 2013 - GREEN grass of home
July 4, 2015 - View past the wild roses & into the bird yard!
Build as big as you are able...always want one or two empty pens for those immediate occupation situations.
Ducks & Dogs...my favs
I would rather not keep something safe and sound than build five inadequate facilities that simply let my precious creatures get harvested and harmed. Build one good building, by one good building and have patience to do it right the first time. We never like the temporary situation because that is when the troubles come calling. Start right, end right. Keep it simple and manageable and you will never know what evil came to visit and found you ready and steady to block its harm. I remember being half dressed for school and chasing off predators that threatened my birds...and going to school not knowing what would be left when I managed to return home. NO thanks...never living like that ever again. One good building, as I could afford it and never ever regretted that I had to wait, that I had to work, pay, and that I had managed to live up to my duty of care on the birds I chose to keep. I do without before the creatures under my care ever will and will die trying to keep them safe because that is what I consider my responsibility to them when I chose to acquire them. I am sure others won't agree with me on this.
Doggone & Chicken UP!
Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada
this is awesome!! I was just looking at similar barns like that online, but yours is the prettiest
Can I share those pictures with my husband?This barn would work so well, especially on the coast, I wouldn't have to worry about ventilation, or rats, owls and raccoons.
If I am going for "animal welfare approval" I think we'll need a "real" floor, but that's an easy fix.
