Duck Coop???

[WindyOaksYokes]

Not sure if I am putting this in the right place... BUT....

Hey all, Now that I know at least one of my ducks are laying... what is the square footage needed per duck??? I am looking to build something, but don't quite know what I need or how big. Any pictures or suggestions would be great!!! I have 5 ducks, and looking to get maybe 5+ more. I know they do not roost LOL... so I know I do not have a problem there...

Thanks for any advice, help, or opinions anyone can give

 

[greginshasta]

Tweety has a book that shows a dog house being turned into effectively a duck tractor.

Start with a good-sized wooden dog house. Find one used in Freecycle or Craigslist. Cut the bottom out.

Mount handles (I'm thinking something like the one on www.coops4you.com) on the front.

Mount wheels on the rear. I recently went to the local bike shop. He frequently has customers come in with a bike for repair and ends up telling them to go to (ughh) Walmart and buy another cheap bike instead of trying to fix it. They often leave the bikes with the shop for use as repair parts. I ended up taking home a "little kid" bike with something like 12" diameter wheels that were straight and true. Remove them from the bike, remove the axles, work out a way to mount them on the dog house.

Instant duck tractor.

 

[DuckLady]

We built a duck house with attached outside accessible nest boxes.
So of course, the ducks just laid wherever they happened to be squatting when the urge strikes and the chickens would go in and mess up the straw in the duck house. The ducks never went in there unless we forced them. Now the floor rotted out and we nailed it shut. We have a covered porch area now about 6 feet wide by 16 feet long going from the duck house to the coop. It is all enclosed except for a doorway and that is where we keep the feeders.

To give you an idea
this is looking at it from the run

And this is looking from the house. We have finished it iff of course.

This is the inside before we got finished. You ncan see we were well supervised.

This is a closer look of the unfinished side.

It has been up almost 3 years now. Very sturdy. We pile straw and tie tarps on the outside in winter to cut down on drafts. We hang a heat lamp over the waterers when it is freezing.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Terrie - so more or less I can just add on a section to the chicken coop???

Greg - I am actually looking for something permanent. but thanks... you did give me an idea....

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

This is 8X10 Feet, We have 10 mini ducks, I feel it is to small for them all. We only had 7 ducks then took in 3 more. Thank goodness this is only for the nights and days when we are not home. Other than that they free range in our huge lawn where they have another mini pond. It makes for a crowded winter. We did add a wooden dog house on the other side of the wire and cut a hole for them to get in. THEY love the dog house and the other raised area of the pen you see in the picture.
We also put a tarp on top and on the 2 windy sides during the winter.
We empty the little pond and give them a heated dog bowl for water.

 

[DuckLady]

Quote:
Sort of. It is free standing structure that is long enough to hit both the coop and the duck house. The roof edges overlap the duck house and the coop roofs and the shingles we put on make it seem all one building.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Thanks to all - I think I have an idea now of what I can do for mine after seeing and hearing what you have done. My only laying duck laid another today in the same spot... I wonder how she will do if I change places... she should be okay right???

Thanks again.... Tes