duck house ideas?

[artsyrobin]

ok, was wondering if there is a duck house thread? i need ideas and pics for 2 ducks- right now they have a play yard in the chicken run, do i need to predator proof it? or do something they can be locked in like i do the chickens?

 

[tnchickenut]

I put mine up for the night. Ducks have very bad eye sight at night and mine don't know that they can fly... so, yes, I preditor proof them at night.

My duck house is 4 x 8ft and 3ft tall. The whole roof lifts up, and there is a door that doubles as a ramp for them. I also have one big plexiglass window for light... four "porthole" windows for light... and one long screened window for ventalation. From the front, the whole thing looks like a 1960's rancher. lol. The door locks up, so that nothing can get to them.

The 4 x 8 design would be alot of coop for 2 ducks. You could get away with something smaller. I have 6 ducks and like I said, it is just for overnight. Matter of fact, ducks can be trained and I just say "bedtime!" and they all go in. It's that easy.


Hope that helps!

 

[Natermotor]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=320654&p=1

 

[Amiga]

Hi!

There are several threads about duck houses. I like Scott's setup for just a few ducks.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3228710

That could get you started. Try a search on coop, shelter, or house and see if that helps, too. Recently I think someone suggested we have a sticky on the topic.

 

[gryeyes]

I found these instructions on-line and built a duck house for my two Cayugas.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4451013_build-wooden-duck-houses.html

I didn't use the stuff mentioned for floating it on a pond, just wanted the instructions for a duck house suitable for two ducks. I altered it so that mine is a three foot square box on a 3 x 4 foot floor, with a roof the same size.

Now, I wish I could tell you the ducks are using it, but it's early yet. They're only 9 wks old and I JUST put them outside 2 days ago. They've chosen to spend their nights in the pen area under an A-Frame chicken coop. It's sheltered, the nights are mild, that's fine. Since I raised the duck house on cinder blocks with a ramp up to the floorboard, the ducks just haven't chosen to go up that ramp yet. Easiest for them to snuggle down in the other area beneath the A-frame. Which I can lock, so it's okay.

I may work on transitioning them (in some fashion, not quite sure how, yet) to the duck house.

Anyway, it's an idea for you to review.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

I have two houses, both between three to four feet in height.
I allow at least two and a half square foot per duck for these houses, which are intended for overnight use, but are availible during the day too.
Each house has narrow ventilation openings under the roof covered with hardware cloth designed to allow cross ventilation.
Both have roofs with a section that opens for easier cleaning, the roofs are covered with a piece of rubberized pond liner secured with furniture tacks. That makes them water-proof but flexible.
The floors and the lower part of the walls are covered in linoleum for easy clean-up, I use the deep litter straw method.
I like having an easily accessible nest box, which really helps keep the eggs clean. (Put wooden eggs in there before your ducks start to lay and they will get the idea.) One house has a side that opens next to the nest box, on the other house the lower side of the roof opens above it.
I wish they had plexiglass windows for light.

 

[Kansaseq]

I use a Petsmate plastic dog house inside of a predator proof run. In bad weather I provide a wind break for the doorway.