Duck coops?

[katie197888]

Is that what you would call them? LOL I am used to the chicken world, what would you consider a shelter for ducks? As some may know we got our hands on some abandoned Mallards earlier in the week and I was wondering what you guys use as a shelter for your ducks. We will need to build something eventually once these guys are ready to go outside. Do you free range or keep them in a run? My chickens are in a run, as we have lots of predators around, even seen foxes in our yard many times but in 2 years we have yet to lose a chicken thank goodness!

Photos would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SMilano]

hello, I too was wondering what to build for my little ducklings. I had bought 3 chicks and 2 ducklings at the feed store, and raised all 5 together since week 1. they are all now 7 weeks and the pekin ducks are giants compared to the chicks. i had planned to build seperate coops for ducks and chickens.... but they wouldn't have it. anytime the ducks are seperated from the chickens for any reason, the ducks and the chickens get upset and call and look for each other. they just want to all be together. so i built one coop with that in mind. its a delux coop as i have plans for more chicks (not ducks, two is enuff!), the coop has nesting boxes for 10 chickens and roosts, but the chicks prefer to stay outside with the ducks. i built the coop high and enclosed half of the underneath, and screened in the other with chicken wire so they could have a private secluded area, and an open one. i put a kiddie pool and a large branch in for roosting, the love being together! i just love my ducks and don't want them to leave, i live in the woods with a lot of critters, and i have hunting dogs that would love to get to them, so enclosed is the only choice i had, and they seem to prefer it. when i let them out to free roam and to go for a swim in the family swimming pool, they are ready to get back to the coop when they are done with their fun. i am new to poultry-hood, and am just going by what my birds are telling me they want. its harder to find answers to duck questions than chicken!

 

[Kevin565]

I free range my birds but lock up at night. Most duck coops are going to be similar to chicken coops just on a larger scale. To prevent extra mess in the coop I advise to not put food and water in at night

Is that what you would call them? LOL I am used to the chicken world, what would you consider a shelter for ducks? As some may know we got our hands on some abandoned Mallards earlier in the week and I was wondering what you guys use as a shelter for your ducks. We will need to build something eventually once these guys are ready to go outside. Do you free range or keep them in a run? My chickens are in a run, as we have lots of predators around, even seen foxes in our yard many times but in 2 years we have yet to lose a chicken thank goodness!

Photos would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TLWR]

My girls have a night house that is just a dog house kit from Lowe's with a door added. Fits 2-3 runners just fine.

 

[katie197888]

Very nice little coop! Love it!

 

[Apyl]

I free range and coop my ducks and chicks together in one coop. I have a run attached for the times when they need to be penned up like when DH mows the lawn. My coop itself cost me about $4, I just had to buy 2 latches, all the rest was stuff we had laying around.

 

[cskotek]

its 12 or 14 feet long i cant remember, we started workin on it before winter and had to stop.

Here is a pic of it painted, it will also get a shingled roof like the other and a run too. The run will consist of an outer metal fencing like the dog pens but its going to be like the red fencing thats leaing against the dog pen but its going to be taller and longer, following that is going to be like the chain link on the dog pen followed by chicken wire then around the bottom is going to be some sort of plexi glass or sheet of metal. the front of that will get a man door so we can access it and so the ducks can go out in the yard during the day. the bottom of the pen where it is raised will also recieve the heavy meal and metal layers with plexi. (we have alot of racoons, oppossium, weasels, fox, coyote, bear and the occasional bobcat. We are also going to take the precautionary measure of putting wood in the slots where the fence wont cover at the top because of roof trusses so nothing can climb the fencing and get in that way. We are then going to add some motion sensored lights. We are currently have the roof up and finished, the back isnt finished yet still needs the doors, the square slots that are on each side (not the ones seen on front) will be getting a plexi glass window, and were currenty putting in the water and eletric line to the two pens. We havent yet got the fencing for the outside. We hope to finish this soon

 

[Going Quackers]

Ours is basically a mini barn.. I need to grab some new shots today.. It's raised on wooden industrial skids, sided with old barn boards and has antique windows. Our birds free range so it's only used for night and bitterly cold days in the winter months.

I'll add some pics later.

 

[HEARDFLOCK]

so for the duck coop it can just be like a big open area that is in closed for them to hang out in at night? or would i need to add shelve and stuff for them to sit down at?

 

[Apyl]

so for the duck coop it can just be like a big open area that is in closed for them to hang out in at night? or would i need to add shelve and stuff for them to sit down at?

Mine is an enclosed building. Because my ducks share with my chickens there are roosts but the ducks do not use them. They all just make spots in the hay and sleep;.