dog kennel for duck house question

[jamband]

I was offered a chain link dog kennel I would like to use as a night duck house but was wondering about predator proofing it? I can bend some re bar and use that to anchor it down. What about additional wire though? I know bigger/stronger animals wont get through the fence but will chicken wire around the bottom(or whole thing?) and top be enough for anything else smaller? Or do i need to go with something stronger like hardware cloth. I would prefer to use chicken wire if it will work due to the cost of Hardware cloth

Thanks

 

[ben is a terror]

I put chicken wire on the ground brought it up the sides about 18" to keep the diggers out hardware cloth for the rest. I'm still trying to decide on the roof. Let me know what you use. Oh I put dirt over the wire on the bottom of the pen and then I'm thinking about 12x12 patio brick or some thing easy to hose off. I'm also putting in a play house I bought on craigslist in for the winter. I had just chain link for the first run and a coon reached through and got one duck and bit off half of his upper beak and broke the leg and wing of another one. They both survived but just chain link is out. You can never be to safe.

 

[jamband]

yeah guess i never thought about the coon ripping the chicken wire and reaching through. so hardware cloth all the way up? thats gonna get expensive fast. might be better off with just a plywood box with some hardware cloth windows.......hmmm I really need to figure some cheap but safe night housing. Its for 3-4 muscovy and room for a few nests.

 

[maclady]

You can do one wrap of the kennel with hardware cloth say 4 ft high and then I would make sure you use hardware cloth across the top especially for protection from raccoons. They love to climb. THe chicken wire topped with gravel would probably work to deter diggers around the outside of the kennel. Just make sure the gravel is a couple inches deep on top of the fencing. Good luck with your construction of the duck kennel.

 

[ben is a terror]

i know the hardware cloth is pricey I'm only doing it just above where a coon could reach in. about 6" above where the ducks head would be if they were standing not all the way to the top. the top is still in the works. I was thinking about lattice covered with chicken wire but I haven't priced that yet. If the scovies roost make sure they are below the hardware cloth I have them too. I'm trying to make the roost so it doesn't go all the way to the sides still working on it.

 

[jamband]

Ok so the more I think about it the more expensive the "cheap" dog kennel gets. If i have to wrap the whole thing with hardware cloth to keep weasels and other small guys out. Using some plywood to cover it would be cheaper but than I might as well just build something and 86 the dog kennel......


anyone have any super cheap but safe duck housing ideas?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Build them a night house they can be locked in. Our ducks and geese all sleep in runs at night, but they have a great pyrenees who is outside all day/night as well. They are all getting houses built for them for next years breeding season, but will be left with the option to sleep in their runs simceit is so hot here in FL.

 

[jamband]

thats all i need is a night house because they are going to be out all day. I want them to have enough room to nest in there if they want also. I have 3 now but should likely make the house big enough for 6 just in case. So just something maybe 20-25 sq ft. I guess a big thing with dog kennels is you are protecting an area much taller than needed. Ducks dont need 6ft tall. but predators can climb in at 5 ft......

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Visit the duck thread here on BYC, lots of great duck housing ideas that you can look at for ideas.

 

[Going Quackers]

You have to protect the ducks from, well a coon for example reaching through the chain link... we darn near lost one this weekend because we didn't...

so lesson learned, i have chicken wire 3ft up all round inside my dog run to reduce the chain link... my top is fully enclosed with lattice and covered in chicken wire to. I hope this will do the job for us.. thankfully our run was secure and it didn't get in otherwise we would have lost all 4 we just didn't think of a reach in.. 'snatch' attack...

I'd try searching on here for dog run conversions, plenty use them... they can be quite effective just some alterations need to be made to avoid a predator from getting in or grabbing.