Duck enclosures with ramps? and toxic plants?

[RollinWithTheStones]

How do ducks fair with ramps? I have a half finished chicken coop that I'm thinking of turning into a duck coop for my two ducklings.

It sits 2 1/2 feet off the ground has dirt underneath. I was thinking of covering the three sides (door on the 4th) with wire, places a dog house on the plat form and then making a ramp to the ground with their swimming pool and grazing area. I was thinking of making the ramp a foot wide since they are bigger breed of ducks (pekin and cayuga). I wanted to cover part of the enclosure in climbing plants is there a toxic plant list that can help with that?

 

[Amiga]

The rule of thumb I have read is no more than a 30% incline for duck ramps. The ramp for my ducks just goes up about six inches, and it is two feet wide. I have runners.

Grapes seem fine with my runners. I have read that pulses (beans) are not good for them. Nasturtium is an edible flower, and mine have nibbled it with no problem. They did not eat much of it, and that may be a good thing! But each flock is different. Yours may love eating it.

Mine like nibbling on kiwi leaves, too.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

I was thinking of maybe blueberries or raspberries that could climb up over the run, provide a yummy treat for everyone involved

 

[Amiga]

Berries sound very nice. Might thornless raspberries be available?

I have been working to restrict access to thorny areas due to the increased risk of injury. I don't lose sleep over it, but the more the ducks wander around thorny things, the more likely they are to scrape themselves up and require treatment.

Right now I have three with minor scrapes that I am treating. Joy, oh, joy. They are sweet, but poor Einzie is virtually panicky when she is held. Romy is just crabby about it, and Shelly acts like she tries to run away, but seems happy with a little snuggle after I put ointment on her bill.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Well this would be outside their run (pruned inside) Mostly used to add some shade and some dropped goodies into their run.