duck coop/house question........about the floor

[Graceful Acres]

The floor of the duck house is raised with hardware cloth on the bottom. My original plan was to put river rock on top of the hardware cloth and keep it hosed off. Does anyone know if it matters if it's just the hardware cloth only OR do I need to go ahead with the rocks on top? Wasn't sure. Have been reading about duck's feet and want to make sure before they move outside. Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Amiga]

I would be concerned about increased incidence of foot injury on the hardware cloth alone, unless it is a very well coated hardware cloth, and then I would watch closely.

What about stall mats on top?

If I haven't done so yet,

 

[Graceful Acres]

I hadn't thought of the mats. I believe I saw on here where someone used river rocks on top of their hardware cloth. Just want to be sure. Definitely don't want any feet problems right off the bat. I'm VERY NEW (2 weeks) at having ducks so I have a lot to learn.
Thanks for the welcome!

 

[Amiga]

Glad you are asking! It's easier when we all have a little time to put our heads together on these things. Everybody's place is different, some are natural born carpenters, some can find wonderful materials free for the asking, some people have to work with a tight space . . . .

I found that linoleum with a foot or more of shavings dries the droppings quickly and all I have to do is stir the bedding and occasionally add a fresh layer of shavings.

I also provide some straw, as the runners and buffs like to make little nests. I remove dirty straw (they don't dirty the nest areas).

They also do not have water or food in their house . . . that is in a porch (hardware cloth) with sawdust over sand over hardware cloth on the ground.

Please keep us posted!

 

[Haunted55]

I am a newbie with ducks and I have so many questions about the right housing and floor plan to use for these wonderful birds. I have 6 Mallards that are housed in a 2' x 4' box I built for them, currently in my livingroom. As they are only 2 weeks old and the weather has returned to "normal" here in Maine, I have time to do this right. Any help with ideas you could give me would be greatly appreciated!

One other question, can you house ducks and geese together? I am thinking about Pekins, Runners, Emdens, Gray Toulouse and White Chinese. I would like to keep them together if it's possible.

 

[Graceful Acres]

Well.........................went out last night and everything is finished on the duck house EXCEPT the floor. My hubby told his brother (the carpenter) to hold off until we decided for sure what we want in there. He took me to Home Depot to look at something called TREX. He thought that would be a good (but expensive) choice to put on the floor. SO............... NOW................We are just in the deciding about what's the best and right thing to put down for a floor.

The house is raised, it is not sitting directly on the ground. He said he could put the TREX down and still leave 1/2" gaps for cleaning and letting the water drain down through. I like that idea of that verses river rocks BECAUSE .............if I need to scrub anything, it would be easier to scrub that floor verses rocks.

ANY OPINIONS? WE REALLY NEED TO GET THIS HOUSE DONE!

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

 

[Graceful Acres]

Forgot to ask ,...................would the 1/2" gaps be okay on the duck's feet???

 

[TLWR]

We have some scrap trex which is what I plan to use on the new duck house floor. DH for some reason (and will tell me he doesn't know why he feels this way), doesn't want to use it.
My plan is to build it with the trex flooring and just have the boards a screw width apart for cleaning (poop to drop through when I hose it out) and then make an end open up for really cleaning (the rest of the poop and any bedding).

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

1/2" gaps is big enough for toes to get stuck and raccoon hands to reach up from below. Why not cram the floor cover with hardware cloth and lay stall mats on top or pile in straw? Stall mats or rubber front door house mats would be great choices.

 

[Graceful Acres]

I have 1/2" hardware cloth wrapping all four sides of the 12'x12' house. You mean racoons can reach through that?
Good grief! Maybe I should just bring them and put them in bed with me at night

(just kidding)

I'm leaving today and will return home on Tuesday. When I return, I'll try to take some pictures and see if
I can post them on here for all to see.

We originally were going to use hardware cloth on the floor, covered with river rocks but we are
having second thoughts. Wow..........why does this have to be soooo difficult to decide on?!

Maybe I could just put a section with hardware cloth where the little pool will be and then a section
of Trex- so it will be easy to clean and then a section of hay for bedding that I will have to change
and then.................

That orta do it ! Well...............I guess we will think about it while
we're gone and hopefully decide by the time we return home. My two 3 week old ducky's are
getting too big for the bathtub.