Duck House Ideas // Advice (New Duck Owner)

[DelawareQueen14]

Hello! I've recently bought 4 little duckies!! As of today they are 5 days old, I have a blue swedish, a female rouen, an ancona, and a fawn and white runner duck. I love them so much! They follow me around the yard and love to swim!! We are planning on building them a duck house, and we live out in the country so I want it to be extra protective to make sure no coons or foxes can hurt my little babies!! I was wondering if you guys could give me some ideas on dimensions/materials and things like that... Pictures are great too! I am thinking that while I'm not home I will leave them in their house/run, and then when I get home I will let them out to swim in our big pond.

Also my little ancona duck has a hard time keeping up with all the other ducklings when we are walking around the yard... I was wondering if that was just a trait that comes with the breed. I will appreciate any feedback! Thank You!

Here's a picture of the duckies!

 

[Tlmcq]

Tooo cute! Are they on chick starter? If so they need extra niacin.. Brewers yeast or nutritional yeast added to their feed at 1 Tbsp per cup of food. I made my duck house from pallets/skids. I lock them in it at night to keep them safe from predators and let them out in a run with my chickens during the day. They don't need a whole lot just a big dog house type enclosure will work. Need ventilation and protection from wind/elements. You can add a nest box on floor of house but they probably won't use it...lol. They tend to lay where ever the mood strikes. I did use plywood with hinges on one so could be fully opened for cleaning and it has an arched doorway in it with hinges at bottom which when open makes a ramp for them to go in and out.

 

[Tlmcq]

Don't have pic of whole thing but here's their door cut from plywood that is hinges and shuts up at night with latch to keep them safe. I'll try to get whole coop pic tomorrow

 

[DelawareQueen14]

Right now they are on non medicated chick starter, I haven't heard of brewers yeast until right now... I'll have to check up on that. Hopefully they will be okay for now until I can figure put where to get some. Thank you so much for the feedback!!

 

[Tlmcq]

Some people have no trouble finding it at Walmart or health food stores...it is for humans by the way...in vitamin section. I could only find nutritional yeast, which my ducks love. I got it at Kroger grocery store in baking aisle next to gluten free baking stuff and flax seed. Here's a pic of it

 

[Tlmcq]

Others get it from Amazon.

 

[DelawareQueen14]

Ok thank you!!

 

[firestomp]

Hello! I've recently bought 4 little duckies!! As of today they are 5 days old, I have a blue swedish, a female rouen, an ancona, and a fawn and white runner duck. I love them so much! They follow me around the yard and love to swim!! We are planning on building them a duck house, and we live out in the country so I want it to be extra protective to make sure no coons or foxes can hurt my little babies!! I was wondering if you guys could give me some ideas on dimensions/materials and things like that... Pictures are great too! I am thinking that while I'm not home I will leave them in their house/run, and then when I get home I will let them out to swim in our big pond.

Also my little ancona duck has a hard time keeping up with all the other ducklings when we are walking around the yard... I was wondering if that was just a trait that comes with the breed. I will appreciate any feedback! Thank You!

Here's a picture of the duckies!

View attachment 1032690

I built a nice house and they haven't stepped foot in it, even in the winter, mine free range and I work shift work, so locking them up is out of the question. Hope your house gets used. Enjoy

 

[Tlmcq]

Mine love there's...go in every night about dark and I just shut the door and lock it. The first 2 nights they were out I had to corral em in but after that they automatically go in at bedtime.