DUCK COOP

[Adz_k187]

hello there, so I was thinking of building my own duck coop for Pekin ducks, I plan to own around 3-4. My question Is, should I make the coop longer and the run shorter, or the run longer and the coop shorter? If the coop was longer then the coop itself would be around 5ft something, with a 2-3ft run, I’m not sure how it Would be if it was shorter though.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Ducks don't coup, they sleep on the ground. I have a mixed flock, chicks and pekins, my ducks sleep under the hen house (and sometimes, under the 275 gal water tote). Anything raised more than a few inches is no good for them.

Not sure what your climate is, or how long you might expect to keep your ducks cooped up during really horrific weather, but in general the run should be bigger than the coop, and the coop needs for ducks are significant. I have about 110 sq ft under roof for my ducks - its much more than I need for my 7, and should be plenty adequate for 12 (assuming all 5 eggs in the incubator make it to hatch day), but my run (shared with chickens) is over 1,000 sq ft, and my birds free range all day. (It took them no time at all to decimate every green thing inside the run). I think the rule of thumb is 6 sq ft per bird in the coop - about 50% larger than with chickens, and around 20 sq ft per bird of run.

You can do with less, but the smaller you get, the more likely behavior problems will begin to crop up.

That said, I do not have years of experience. Maybe someone who has been doing this for decades can hop in and provide some less conservative advice than my own.

 

[Adz_k187]

Ducks don't coup, they sleep on the ground. I have a mixed flock, chicks and pekins, my ducks sleep under the hen house (and sometimes, under the 275 gal water tote). Anything raised more than a few inches is no good for them.

Not sure what your climate is, or how long you might expect to keep your ducks couped up during really horrific weather, but in general the run should be bigger than the coup, and the coup needs for ducks are significant. I have about 110 sq ft under roof for my ducks - its more than I need for my 7, and should be adequate for 12 (assuming all 5 eggs in the incubator make it to hatch day), but my run (shared with chickens) is over 1,000 sq ft, and my birds free range all day. (It took them no time at all to decimate every green thing inside the run).

You can do with less, but the smaller you get, the more likely behavior problems will begin to crop up.

That said, I do not have years of experience. Maybe someone who has been doing this for decades can hop in and provide some less conservative advice than my own.

Sorry, I’m not very good with the terminology as I am still new to this. I do understand that they prefer having their house low down though. I’m living in the UK, the climate is usually rainy and can be pretty chilly, although I’ve read that ducks do not mind the rain or the cold. The average temperature is around 18-25*C (64F-77F) and around 6*C (42F) in the winter months. Unfortunately, I do not have that kind of space otherwise I’d have gave my ducks as much space as I possibly could! Thanks for the reply, and good luck with your duck eggs.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Your climate is just fine for ducks. They will never need supplemental heat where you are for winter, just heat for the ducklings if you are raising from day old chicks.

If you can cover a space 2m x 2m and about 1m tall, that's all they need for a coop up to about 6 birds. Basically, a really big dog house. Hardware cloth to keep out the predators around the top half, walls on three sides on the bottom half (including the side facing prevailing winds) to block drafts if you are building it yourself.. They will bed down in the dirt, plus whatever cover you use - straw, wood chips, mulch, leaf litter, etc.

Then extend the run off the open side, as far as you can, leaving some way for you to get in it, and taller if possible.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and once your ducklings are fully feathered, they'll need nothing but food and water.

I'm in "sunny" north Florida, USA. Avg 3cm rainfall per week (63" annually) with about 130 days of rainfall each year. Our temps range from an average 33.5C as a high temp in July to about 3C in January/February, and my Pekins do just fine year round, though my weather is "worse" than yours across the pond on every measure - hotter, colder, more rainfall, and more wind.

Relax, change their water often, keep 'em well fed, and give them as much space as you can - your ducks will do fine.

 

[CoriM]

I think it all depends on where you live, the type of predators you have, and where your ducks will spend most of their time. I live in WA state in the woods and we have predators. I have 5 duck. Their coop which is their night time area, and it is about 4x10 and attached to that is their run, which is about 16x10. They sleep in the coop, but most of their waking time is spent in the run, except when I let them free range in the yard under supervision a couple times a day. Ducks love to forage, and I think this is what makes them the happiest. Also, consider where they will swim, as they need a place for that. I have a little pond in my duck run and one a bit bigger out in my yard.

 

[Quatie]

It is recommended each duck have at least 4 sqft in the coop. If you go smaller, which I did at the beginning, you have to clean the coop more often. The ducks will happier and healthier with more room in the coop. From my limited experience with duck breeds, my pekins have been my messiest ducks. You don't need a run, if you want to let them free range. I had a run and ended up converting into and extension of my coop to give my ducks a larger coop, but my ducks are free ranged.