duck house advice

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I am building an Aframe duck house for our 5 ducks, I rarely do something small, it will have space for some tools like shovel and rakes in the "second floor" and also perhaps a couple bales of shavings or hay. downstairs will be for the ducks of course, I want to insulate with foam, the roof and ceiling so it doesn't turn into an easy bake oven. I will be using sheet metal roofing, which I got today, and the end walls will be board and baton. the large door will be for cleaning and people access, there is one on either end, the windows will open awning style and again, one on either end. duck door is in the people door and its 17x17 ( one of our Pekins is really big). I am open to suggestions, in particular, what should I use for the floor, I don't want moisture trapped if I insulate it, and mold to grow. on the other hand I don't want the floor to be super cold. I had contemplated using sheet metal roofing for the floor because it would clean easily and would not grow anything weird, but it is uneven, the easy thing is plywood which would be fairly easy to clean, and relatively un-drafty, wood would be ok too, but tend to gap open, and also could be tough cleaning.
the end walls, should I insulate or not? I know they need ventilation, but here in vt it can get pretty darn cold... am I paranoid? I should have started with a parakeet shouldn't I? is there a help group?
for reference, they are 12' rafters, that trailer is 8'6" wide and 10' long, I chose it because it was shorter than my bigger trailers, the whole thing on the trailer measures 13'4. I will be moving under cloak of darkness, SHHHHHHHH! and I am not saying when I do it.

 

[Isaac 0]

Sorry, no one was able to respond, did you ever finish the coop?

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Sorry, no one was able to respond, did you ever finish the coop?

I did, came out pretty well, unfortunately it is not in its permanent home so I have to move it yet again, but the field is to wet to but the heavy equipment on so it will have to wait until perhaps June.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Geez, how did I miss all of your posts the first time around?! Thank you Isaac for resurrecting them! Did you end up figuring out your flooring issue? I use those rubber mats used for horse stalls in my ducks nighttime enclosure ... which is... a horse stall. I like them as they add extra insulation from the concrete underneath, and they are easy to clean (which reminds me that it’s finally time for the spring clean out now that the snow is done...I hope). I cover the mats with shavings and add straw where they like to nest/sleep. I make the bedding extremely deep in the winter and shallower in the warm months. I am also in Vermont, and everyone has made it through the winters fine, even my cold-sensitive pied Muscovy. My Rouen is a winter pro. She just tucks her feet into her wings, and makes herself into a toasty “duck boat”. I see that you have Rouens also, and Pekins. They should be fine with our winters, although I do want to ask if you have a method for allowing ventilation?

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Geez, how did I miss all of your posts the first time around?! Thank you Isaac for resurrecting them! Did you end up figuring out your flooring issue? I use those rubber mats used for horse stalls in my ducks nighttime enclosure ... which is... a horse stall. I like them as they add extra insulation from the concrete underneath, and they are easy to clean (which reminds me that it’s finally time for the spring clean out now that the snow is done...I hope). I cover the mats with shavings and add straw where they like to nest/sleep. I make the bedding extremely deep in the winter and shallower in the warm months. I am also in Vermont, and everyone has made it through the winters fine, even my cold-sensitive pied Muscovy. My Rouen is a winter pro. She just tucks her feet into her wings, and makes herself into a toasty “duck boat”. I see that you have Rouens also, and Pekins. They should be fine with our winters, although I do want to ask if you have a method for allowing ventilation?

Both end windows open wide awning style, a 26” RO, also the floor is expanded mesh with stall mats on top, i left a 2’ square chunk out of the stall mats so splashed water goes down through without soaking everything. I plan to replace at least one stall mat with the perforated strain relief floor mats likenyou might Putin front of a work bench for added ventilation in warmer months

 

[DucksOhio]

Really great job! You thought of everything and your ducks are going to be pretty happy!