Duck House Options

[jillybeanss]

We have built a 10 × 12 house for our 5 pekin ducks that are 3 weeks old. We will be adding an outdoor enclosure soon. Since we are building it ourselves from scratch, we have the option to design it the way that works best for our ducks and us. Right now, we're wondering what to put on the floor inside. I've read that linoleum is good as it is easier to clean. Hubby wonders if it will eventually retain water and swell? We've also thought about ceramic tile but I can't find any information on this. Also if we do linoleum or tile, do we still need to lay down pine shavings? Does anyone have a floor drain in their duck house for easy hosing down? Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Mrs.H]

I've used vinyl flooring in my chicken coop with no problem however that's with chickens not ducks their coop was in a shed also. But very easy to clean!!!! I would mop it 2x a year. I love the drain idea but would only do that with tile. Always put down bedding no matter what you do. But IMO I would just go with vinyl flooring and clean with damp mop as needed. I ran my vinyl up the sides of the walls about 6 inches made sweeping/mopping easier

 

[Amiga]

For the first duck house, I used sheet vinyl flooring, going up the walls about a foot. No seam, just roll it up the wall, and attach with a 3 inch furring strip to keep yuck from getting under the edge of the sheet flooring. On top of that, a foot or two of pine shavings mixed with a one gallon bucket of peat moss. Sometimes an inch or two of straw on top of all that.

The straw would get moved aside and I would spot pick the droppings, then stir the shavings, and spread the straw back over the top. The straw is optional.

Once or twice a year I would clean out all the bedding and start fresh - the sheet flooring was always in great shape.

 

[Mrs.H]

For the first duck house, I used sheet vinyl flooring, going up the walls about a foot.  No seam, just roll it up the wall, and attach with a 3 inch furring strip to keep yuck from getting under the edge of the sheet flooring.  On top of that, a foot or two of pine shavings mixed with a one gallon bucket of peat moss.  Sometimes an inch or two of straw on top of all that.

The straw would get moved aside and I would spot pick the droppings, then stir the shavings, and spread the straw back over the top.  The straw is optional.

Once or twice a year I would clean out all the bedding and start fresh - the sheet flooring was always in great shape.

Never heard of adding peat moss. Why do you add it in?

 

[jillybeanss]

Some of you said you mop it a couple times a year - how often do you change the shavings? I was looking to avoid that because right now (ducks in a dog kennel with water dish inside) I need to change the shavings twice a day. Does this get better when they are in a bigger space?

 

[needlessjunk]

I used a textured deck paint. It will need to be repainted next year. It sealed up everything since it's made for decking and it isn't slick. We had some left over but I would use it again. It looks like I will to redo it ever 2 years but I will also need to clean up the outside and touch up paint about the same time.

 

[jillybeanss]

I have a question about the duck door. We are going to have a fully enclosed outdoor area attached to the duck house so the ducks will be safe and fully protected anytime they're out there. Is it best to have a door that I open in the morning and then close at night and keep the ducks inside at night, or is it possible to leave the door open, and have the ducks go in and out as they please, anytime day or night?

 

[Mrs.H]

My duck house is in an enclosed run, I close them up in their house each night. Just incase a predator somehow makes it in.

 

[needlessjunk]

I have a question about the duck door.  We are going to have a fully enclosed outdoor area attached to the duck house so the ducks will be safe and fully protected anytime they're out there.  Is it best to have a door that I open in the morning and then close at night and keep the ducks inside at night, or is it possible to leave the door open, and have the ducks go in and out as they please, anytime day or night?

It depends on how predator proofed your run is. Added protection should be to lock them up but if your run is practically all 1/2 in hardware cloth and no snakes or mink can get through then that's up to you.

 

[jillybeanss]

If you could add anything to your dream duck house what would it be? What are the must haves to make living fun and comfortable for duckies and clean and convenient for me? I live in Canada in an area where winters get extremely cold.