Do I need a duck run if they are going to be free range?

[HandyWitch]

Hi there,

I'm about to build a duck house and I was wondering if I really need to build a duck run and do the 2 feet in the ground fencing around it if the ducks are going to be indoors from dusk till dawn...

Or how do you time when your ducks come out? do they come out into the run earlier in the morning and hang out past sundown because the door stays open since the whole thing is predator proof?

I used to have chickens and the door to their run was open 24/7, and the run was under the coop. But I fenced that thing so tight nothing could get in. I'm struggling with the design for the ducks a bit and I went to some older posts but I'm not finding them very helpful.

Can anyone give me advice or direct me to some useful designs they've seen online?

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Hi there,

I'm about to build a duck house and I was wondering if I really need to build a duck run and do the 2 feet in the ground fencing around it if the ducks are going to be indoors from dusk till dawn...

Or how do you time when your ducks come out? do they come out into the run earlier in the morning and hang out past sundown because the door stays open since the whole thing is predator proof?

I used to have chickens and the door to their run was open 24/7, and the run was under the coop. But I fenced that thing so tight nothing could get in. I'm struggling with the design for the ducks a bit and I went to some older posts but I'm not finding them very helpful.

Can anyone give me advice or direct me to some useful designs they've seen online?

If you can build a predator proof run it would be convieniant for times when your having a predator issue so they wouldn't have to be confined to just the house.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Also in times of severe weather it's nice to be able to safely keep them in one place. I don't like ever putting food or water inside their housing.

 

[HandyWitch]

That makes sense. Thank you

 

[shawluvsbirds]

That makes sense. Thank you

If your not planning on them spending a lot of time in it it wouldn't have to be real big.

 

[Percipen]

Mine free range. I dont have a run, but a predator proof house. I let everyone out at dawn, and at dusk they go in on their own and I lock them in for the night. Of course the house is kept open during the day so they can seek shelter in really bad weather and I also have a broody hen with a duckling that spend most of their time in the house during the day. I dont keep food and water in the house though...it gets yucky.