Do our ducks really need a coop?

[BigLar368]

I built a coop earlier this year in anticipation for 12 chickens and 4 ducks from a mail order hatchery. This has expanded to 19 chickens and still only 4 ducks. The ducks and most of the chickens are 21 weeks old. My run and coop is just big enough for all of them to sleep in at night but way too small for all day. We let them free range in our back yard everyday.

My question is do I need a coop for the ducks? My coop is elevated (3 feet) with a ladder for the chickens to go up. The ducks have never even tried it. They are happiest sleeping under the watering nipples as they drink water which seems like all night....lol. Our coop and run is completely secure with hardware cloth buried under the ground and out a foot or so and I also have concrete footers under the entry doors to keep critters from digging in. Most of the run is also covered (80%) and almost all of the ground stays very dry as it's about 8 inches in elevation compared to outside of the coop. I have seem some use 5 gallons buckets laid down on their side for a small shelter or them to build a nest. I have 4 buckets inside with straw but they would rather just nose through the straw and scatter it out all over the place....big mess. Anyways up until now they have just been happy sleeping on the ground and make noise until we let them out. I should note the winters here are very mild compared to some others. Snow is a almost non-existent and freezing weather is maybe 5 to 20 days a year. Mid 20's is about as low as I have seen the temp and it's only at night. It rains here more than anything which the ducks love anyways but again their run is high and dry. Any thought?

 

[sourland]

Given the weather conditions you describe ducks should be fine without a coop.

 

[BigLar368]

Given the weather conditions you describe ducks should be fine without a coop.

I kinda thought so. Was just curious to see what other more experienced folks would think. Also my coop is surrounded in our back yard close to a fence on one side and my garage on the other so wind is not that bad close to the ground.

 

[Offshoreorca]

I would say they are fine without a coop. My parents have Muscovy and Runner Ducks in southern British Columbia and they sleep out in the middle of the pond every night. If they have a real bad arctic outflow, they bring them into the barn, but otherwise they prefer to be outside at night even though they have access to shelter

 

[BigLar368]

I would say they are fine without a coop. My parents have Muscovy and Runner Ducks in southern British Columbia and they sleep out in the middle of the pond every night. If they have a real bad arctic outflow, they bring them into the barn, but otherwise they prefer to be outside at night even though they have access to shelter

Thanks.

 

[KaleIAm]

I coddle my ducks, and I think your set up is fine. Your description is excellent.

 

[BigLar368]

Thanks....i try to describe things as much as possible to give folks an idea of what I have so they can weigh in.

 

[SunshineGirl72]

I built a coop earlier this year in anticipation for 12 chickens and 4 ducks from a mail order hatchery. This has expanded to 19 chickens and still only 4 ducks. The ducks and most of the chickens are 21 weeks old. My run and coop is just big enough for all of them to sleep in at night but way too small for all day. We let them free range in our back yard everyday.

My question is do I need a coop for the ducks? My coop is elevated (3 feet) with a ladder for the chickens to go up. The ducks have never even tried it. They are happiest sleeping under the watering nipples as they drink water which seems like all night....lol. Our coop and run is completely secure with hardware cloth buried under the ground and out a foot or so and I also have concrete footers under the entry doors to keep critters from digging in. Most of the run is also covered (80%) and almost all of the ground stays very dry as it's about 8 inches in elevation compared to outside of the coop. I have seem some use 5 gallons buckets laid down on their side for a small shelter or them to build a nest. I have 4 buckets inside with straw but they would rather just nose through the straw and scatter it out all over the place....big mess. Anyways up until now they have just been happy sleeping on the ground and make noise until we let them out. I should note the winters here are very mild compared to some others. Snow is a almost non-existent and freezing weather is maybe 5 to 20 days a year. Mid 20's is about as low as I have seen the temp and it's only at night. It rains here more than anything which the ducks love anyways but again their run is high and dry. Any thought?

I find my girls like to have a place out of the windy weather. In the conditions you describe a simple A-frame would be fine if your coop is elevated as you describe try putting the straw and such underneath the coop for the ducks to hunker down in