Duck Coop & Training Question *pics of my ponds included*

[LilDucky85]

I just hatched 8 Pekin Ducks, and one surprise Indian Runner-Pekin mix. They are 7, 6, and 5 days old, and quickly growing! I need to build a duck coop and I was wondering how I should do it. I was assuming I could build a chicken like coop but when I looked up duck coop all the duck coops were huge! I don’t want huge! I want small! This leads to another question….

The reason I just want to make a smaller coop is because I live off a huge pond, and want them to free range during the day, and be locked up at night. Can they be trained to do this? I was assuming they will come home when I call them. Is there any special tricks to doing this? I hear that since Pekins are large they cannot fly, but will they wander off? Also, will they be effected by the wild Canadian Geese that live here off and on?

Can you please let me know all you know about grown duck behavior, and post pictures of your duck coops (of all sizes)??



Here is the small pond on my patio that they can also use:

This is the large pond in my back yard that I'd like them to use during the day. You cant really tell but it's about the size
of a football field, possibly larger. (The grass is usually lush and green like in the second picture, please forgive the dead look
but it is very early Spring here):

 

[fowlmood]

I don't have any pictures right now but my ducks all go into the chicken coop at night. They don't need anything very big, especially if they are going to free range. At night mine will go in and since they like to huddle up together they just have a dog house with straw to sleep in but most of the time they don't even use that. I've found ducks to be very easy to please. They have protection from preditors and wind and that's about all they need for housing. Good luck and have fun!!!!!

 

[LilDucky85]

Thank you so much! This gives me hope! I was getting worried after seeing all the enclosed coops for ducks. I was starting to think there was a reason for everyone having a huge aviary with their ducks caged in. How much space do you think 8 ducks will need? I'm supposed to keep 2, and sell or give the rest away but right now its just not possible! I cant let go of my babies! I actually wish I could have more!

 

[AhBee01]

You could put a floating duck house on the pound, Like this one!

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=20302
I wish I had a pond!
I don't know if they will come when called, but when you do have your coop built make sure that is where their food is, they will learn to come home to eat!
I don't have any good pics of my coop right now.

 

[LilDucky85]

Wow! Thats amazing!! I never thought of a floating pond! Thank you for showing me that!

 

[TheDuckCrew]

i have a duck house with connected duck pen. the pen is 8x8 and about 3.5 ft high and the house is 4x8 and 5 ft high. the top two feet are used as storage for all their stuff. we built the pen at first and needed a house for winter. in the winter, we had to get them a heated water bucket and kept tarps around the pen on really cold, windy or snowy days. on nice days they could come out. mine free range and we have a huge pond too. they come home when it starts to get dark and they get hungry. you can train them to come when you call by giving them treats and saying the same thing. they will then come to you when you call, just like dogs! (i have pekins too, aren't they adorable!?!)

 

[Wifezilla]

Here is mine...

Actually their hutch could be a lot smaller, but I made this out of an existing container and I never had ducks before, so what did I know?

The price was right....FREE

 

[Homesteading_Bound]

I have 2 generations of ducks. My ducks stay in the pond at night. They only come up to visit and eat during the day. They will come up and stay in the barn once the pond freezes. That's how they have always rolled.

 

[LilDucky85]

Awesome! I read about using the same phrase or sound to have them come when called. I’ve been using this the past week and it works well. Right now they follow me around regardless of the duck call, but when I do the call they all come running to me! When they are in the brooder I do it and they instantly make so much noise! It’s so cool!

Thank you for posting! I don’t think there is such thing as too big for cute lil’ ducks! Last night I saw something about the Peabody Hotel where they have live ducks in their Lobby’s marble water fountain. They are trained to walk out of the elevator and down the “Red Carpet” to the fountain every day at 11am. Then after 5pm the ducks have a roof top penthouse called the “Royal Palace” with granite pool, and glass walls. It was amazing to see! They retire the ducks every 3 months. I just looked it up and found out that it is in Memphis, Tennessee! This makes me mad because I was just there last summer! We had a free night so I could have stayed here. Bummer! Check it out…

http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody_ducks/

 

[LilDucky85]

We have a lot of coyotes, hawks, foxes, and raccoons so I'm worried about them. The geese and their babies seem to be fine but I dont want to risk mine, especially if they cant fly. I'm going to make a little house so that they are locked up at night. Winter in Illinois can be very harsh from January through early March so they will be warm. Im going to run electricity out to the coop so that they will have heat in the winter, and a heater so their water doesnt freeze. What kind of waterer do you use during the winter? I cant figure out how to use a heater without using a bowl of water? I dont want them swimming during the winter to only find duck ice cubes!