Duck enclosure and other questions

[MandyJ]

Miss Lydia' these are my first ducks I have two mallards 1 male 1 female. If you could tell me what Ineed to ask for when iI go to the co-op I would appreciate it. I have seen were some feed them pellets cracked corn brewers yeast I'mjust not sure were to get this and what its called. Thank you so much. They are the sweetest little things. My bbaby's lol.

At tractor Supply you can get poultry feed and add chicken scratch to it also add Oyster shell (at TS) to the feed. I didn't add it and I got soft shells. Added the shell to the feed and I had wonderful eggs!

 

[needlessjunk]

Keep in mind that scratch is a treat and should not be used are part of their main diet. I feed all of my girls chicken layer pellets but mine are still laying. Once they stop for the winter I will switch them to grower/maintenance feed. Oyster shell should be given as free choice since most will eat it as needed. Every once in a while there will be some ducks that won't eat enough oyster shell but usually they know how much they need and you don't want to over due it.

 

[MandyJ]

Thanks! They seem to waste a lot when I put the oyster shell in a bowl. Ducks!

 

[smithmal]

+1 on building a coop on a platform....

I recently built an enclosure for my ducks that is on a platform and it works great. Having the house raised by 3' really helps with cleaning it out, harvesting eggs and adding another element of predator proofing against egg eating snakes. I designed mine so that the coop has a front door for the ducks (with a ramp) on the inside of the yard and two access doors (for me) on the outside of the coop. That way I can clean and harvest eggs without disturbing the ducks unnecessarily.

I posted a video of my yard and coop here if you're interested.

Building a coop was pretty easy and you can get all the materials you need from your general big box store (HD/Lowes). It's also much cheaper and you get a much better product than anything you could purchase for the same amount of money.

Also, I filled my yard with sand. It is so much easier to clean a duck yard with sand then dirt/straw. Also, sand is easy on their feet and provides them a continual source of grit for their digestion (make sure you use construction sand, not sandbox/morter sand).

smithmal

 

[LadyIsadora]

Thanks! They seem to waste a lot when I put the oyster shell in a bowl. Ducks!

If they are wasting a lot of oyster shell, consider a deeper/ heavier bowl, it worked for me.
Also, some ducks & chickens will eat excess of shell if they are not getting enough grit.
With the yard being frozen over just now, I need to set out purchased grit for them or they go through the shell really fast.

 

[MandyJ]

Keep in mind that scratch is a treat and should not be used are part of their main diet. I feed all of my girls chicken layer pellets but mine are still laying. Once they stop for the winter I will switch them to grower/maintenance feed. Oyster shell should be given as free choice since most will eat it as needed. Every once in a while there will be some ducks that won't eat enough oyster shell but usually they know how much they need and you don't want to over due it.

Can you use chicken feed for ducks? I was concerned that if I didn't get "other poultry" feed that it wouldn't have what my pekin hens would need. I only put about 1/16 of their food as scratch and maybe a handful of oyster shell. The majority of their feed it poultry feed. It will make it easier if I can use chicken feed. My girls are still laying but here in Texas it is in the 70's today. Supposed to get cold next week but right now it is quite warm.

 

[MandyJ]

+1 on building a coop on a platform....

I recently built an enclosure for my ducks that is on a platform and it works great. Having the house raised by 3' really helps with cleaning it out, harvesting eggs and adding another element of predator proofing against egg eating snakes. I designed mine so that the coop has a front door for the ducks (with a ramp) on the inside of the yard and two access doors (for me) on the outside of the coop. That way I can clean and harvest eggs without disturbing the ducks unnecessarily.

I posted a video of my yard and coop here if you're interested.

Building a coop was pretty easy and you can get all the materials you need from your general big box store (HD/Lowes). It's also much cheaper and you get a much better product than anything you could purchase for the same amount of money.

Also, I filled my yard with sand. It is so much easier to clean a duck yard with sand then dirt/straw. Also, sand is easy on their feet and provides them a continual source of grit for their digestion (make sure you use construction sand, not sandbox/morter sand).

smithmal

Question: Is it a problem for ducks to be on damp leaves at night? My girls are free roaming during the day but I pen them at night. I have been putting leaves in their night pen since there are so many leaves around. Since we have been having rain I can't keep it dry. I spread hay for them and they do have a dog house (plastic crate) to get into, but do you think they get in there where it is dry??? NO!!!! Anyway, I know you aren't supposed to keep other animals feet wet all the time but I can't figure out how to keep them dry. EVERYTHING is wet here!

The leaves do a wonderful job when it is dry, it keeps the birds off the dirt and makes it warmer for them. But as I said everything is wet. Just concerned.

Thanks for any help!
M

 

[MandyJ]

+1 on building a coop on a platform....

I recently built an enclosure for my ducks that is on a platform and it works great. Having the house raised by 3' really helps with cleaning it out, harvesting eggs and adding another element of predator proofing against egg eating snakes. I designed mine so that the coop has a front door for the ducks (with a ramp) on the inside of the yard and two access doors (for me) on the outside of the coop. That way I can clean and harvest eggs without disturbing the ducks unnecessarily.

I posted a video of my yard and coop here if you're interested.

Building a coop was pretty easy and you can get all the materials you need from your general big box store (HD/Lowes). It's also much cheaper and you get a much better product than anything you could purchase for the same amount of money.

Also, I filled my yard with sand. It is so much easier to clean a duck yard with sand then dirt/straw. Also, sand is easy on their feet and provides them a continual source of grit for their digestion (make sure you use construction sand, not sandbox/morter sand).

smithmal

Looked at your coop, it's awesome! We only have a tarp covered 10 x 10 chain link dog enclosure for our girls. In central Texas it is quite warm so haven't had a need for them to get out of the weather too much. We are talking about putting 4 x 4's under each side of the enclosure to get the metal off the ground. This will have to be done soon or we will loose the metal pieces at the bottom of the chain link panels. Thanks for the post!
M

 

[needlessjunk]

Keep in mind that scratch is a treat and should not be used are part of their main diet. I feed all of my girls chicken layer pellets but mine are still laying. Once they stop for the winter I will switch them to grower/maintenance feed. Oyster shell should be given as free choice since most will eat it as needed. Every once in a while there will be some ducks that won't eat enough oyster shell but usually they know how much they need and you don't want to over due it.

Can you use chicken feed for ducks? I was concerned that if I didn't get "other poultry" feed that it wouldn't have what my pekin hens would need.  I only put about 1/16 of their food as scratch and maybe a handful of oyster shell. The majority of their feed it poultry feed.  It will make it easier if I can use chicken feed.  My girls are still laying but here in Texas it is in the 70's today.  Supposed to get cold next week but right now it is quite warm.

Most people use chicken feed for ducks. Purina makes a flock raider but I feel it has too much protein so I don't use it, not to mention it costs more. Very few people have access to actual duck food. I'm in TX as well. I use the black rubber bowls for their food and oyster shell. I get them from TSC.

I also feel it is important that they have at least one place that is dry. Mine never go in their nice dry house except to sleep at night when I lock them in but I feel better knowing that they can get out of the muck and mud if it gets to be too much. My chickens hang out in the duck house when it it pouring rain but never the ducks. My duck house is made from old pallets and the bottom is a pallet so it is raised off the ground. I have pics in my profile. When the weather gets really cold and nasty out they hang out next to my wood fence and under the firewood. It blocks the wind and some rain.