Duck coop/enclosure

[Miss Cheep]

Hello! Looking for ideas for a duck coop/enclosure, predators are not a concern, as for the orchard they live in is already completely fenced. We have 21 ducks, and are going to mix 6 chickens in with them once the coop is built. Would the ducks like a coop with 4 walls, ( normal coop ) or do they like it better with only 3 walls?

 

[fatty and friends]

fencing won’t stop predators. they’ll rip through it, dig under it, climb over it, chew through it, raccoons will even open latches of some gates to get in

 

[Flockincrazy]

My ducks are in with my chickens with a 4 wall coop

 

[indianaducks]

Mine have 4 walls. They get a break from bad weather with 4 walls (the door stays open during the day). More protection from wind, rain etc. Their run is much more open and they sprint to the 4 walls when they want to escape weather they don't like. Spoiled ducks!

That being said, many coops and runs are completely closed due to predator threats. That's great you don't have predator issues, but 4 walls might give you peace of mind if you ever do wind up having a predator issue.

 

[ruthhope]

I would house my chickens in a separate coop. We have just adopted a rooster and are building him a separate coop as the ducks are not fond of him -- 1 has adopted him as "sort of" friend; the other three stay well away and the drake would fight him if he went close.

We are in NE Florida and I think that makes a difference in choice of coop. The rooster coop will have 4 walls; our duck coops do not have four walls: they have end walls -- one which includes the door -- and frame long walls with mason ladder and 1 inch chicken wire attached. The walls are very strong, predator proof, but well ventilated for our frequently humid climate. Mine has a tarp that is currently pegged to the ground on both sides to provide shelter from wind and rain coming from the sides. My son's doesn't have a tarp -- he uses pine straw bales to give protection to the exposed side [the other long side is close to shrubs with a berm immediately behind and doesn't get rain or wind.

We get raccoons in the gardens at night and so have to keep our little ones safe in predator proof coops

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I would house my chickens in a separate coop. We have just adopted a rooster and are building him a separate coop as the ducks are not fond of him -- 1 has adopted him as "sort of" friend; the other three stay well away and the drake would fight him if he went close.

We are in NE Florida and I think that makes a difference in choice of coop. The rooster coop will have 4 walls; our duck coops do not have four walls: they have end walls -- one which includes the door -- and frame long walls with mason ladder and 1 inch chicken wire attached. The walls are very strong, predator proof, but well ventilated for our frequently humid climate. Mine has a tarp that is currently pegged to the ground on both sides to provide shelter from wind and rain coming from the sides. My son's doesn't have a tarp -- he uses pine straw bales to give protection to the exposed side [the other long side is close to shrubs with a berm immediately behind and doesn't get rain or wind.

We get raccoons in the gardens at night and so have to keep our little ones safe in predator proof coops

Ooh racoons can rip through chicken wire, something to be aware of.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

It depends on your climate and even with that if you built a woods coop technically you only have 3 walls.
All places have predators except maybe New Zealand which still has birds of prey.

 

[ruthhope]

Ooh racoons can rip through chicken wire, something to be aware of.

Crazy Maizie: Raccoons cannot rip through chicken wire attached to mason ladders! They are really strong! My duck house has the mason ladders outside the chicken wire vertically; my son's has the mason ladders outside the chicken wire horizontally. Both have 1/4" hardware cloth underneath. The hardware cloth was vital when a critter -- presumably a raccoon -- tried to dig under the corner of my son's duck coop a couple of months ago

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Crazy Maizie: Raccoons cannot rip through chicken wire attached to mason ladders! They are really strong! My duck house has the mason ladders outside the chicken wire vertically; my son's has the mason ladders outside the chicken wire horizontally. Both have 1/4" hardware cloth underneath. The hardware cloth was vital when a critter -- presumably a raccoon -- tried to dig under the corner of my son's duck coop a couple of months ago

That looks nice. I hope that the raccoons don't bother your ducks. The problem I see is that the mason ladders are the structural support, but it's not really going to keep them from tearing up the chicken wire if they choose to. I see the hardware cloth under and that seems fine if they decide to dig under. If it were me, I'd probably secure a hot wire around the outer perimeter for a bit more security.

Some never have issues with raccoons and chicken wire, but many have. There are many threads here on BYC regarding losses due to using chicken wire. I would just be aware since you have raccoons nearby.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hicken-wire-please-add-your-experience.39419/

Post in thread 'can a coon actually tear through new chicken wire????' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-through-new-chicken-wire.547155/post-7011641

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ong-rip-through-chicken-wire-and-more.982018/

As well as many other, but I'm sure you get the idea.