Duck House Suggestions- HELP!

[Alaskan]

May I ask how you lost your ducks? I’m assuming you had put them away at night.

during the day loss from birds of prey.

 

[Alaskan]

I don’t know if this makes a difference, but the duck house and run are going to be right up beside our house and outside our bedroom window. We also our dog that wonders the yard too.

I have a dog, and my duck house and duck run are very close to the house and easily looked at through windows.

Raptors are bold... I once had a chicken attacked by a raptor when they were free ranging WHILE I WAS OUT WITH THEM!

 

[Lincoln109]

I have one pen that is a Covered Dog run with a Dog house. 10X10..Works great. Hope you don't like to sleep in?..Ducks Don't and are pretty vocal in the mornings..

Nah, we’re up pretty early

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I have a dog, and my duck house and duck run are very close to the house and easily looked at through windows.

Raptors are bold... I once had a chicken attacked by a raptor when they were free ranging WHILE I WAS OUT WITH THEM!

X2. I was out cleaning right by my chicken run just the other day and a hawk started surveying while I was there.
One of the members here posted a vid of him cleaning the chicken coop and a hawk coming up behind to attack chickens. It came so close he swatted it.

 

[llombardo]

I have one pen that is a Covered Dog run with a Dog house. 10X10..Works great. Hope you don't like to sleep in?..Ducks Don't and are pretty vocal in the mornings..

Mine are still in the house but are quiet until they hear me. It's such a routine that I'm hoping it transfers to the outside too.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

You didn't mention (or I missed it), how many ducks and how big a pen we are talking about. I have my five in a covered pen with a house at night but a larger, uncovered garden during the day. So far (two years), so good. If it isn't too big, I made mine a hoop house by bending pvc pipe and covering with chicken wire and mesh. Ducks make a lot of mess and mud. The more room they have, the better it will be.

 

[llombardo]

You didn't mention (or I missed it), how many ducks and how big a pen we are talking about. I have my five in a covered pen with a house at night but a larger, uncovered garden during the day. So far (two years), so good. If it isn't too big, I made mine a hoop house by bending pvc pipe and covering with chicken wire and mesh. Ducks make a lot of mess and mud. The more room they have, the better it will be.
View attachment 1338932

I think it's a smart move to have the water area covered. They can relax without worrying about predators from above.

 

[Lincoln109]

You didn't mention (or I missed it), how many ducks and how big a pen we are talking about. I have my five in a covered pen with a house at night but a larger, uncovered garden during the day. So far (two years), so good. If it isn't too big, I made mine a hoop house by bending pvc pipe and covering with chicken wire and mesh. Ducks make a lot of mess and mud. The more room they have, the better it will be.
View attachment 1338932

I have three ducks. Their house is 16 square feet. We were wanting to section off a part of the back yard off the deck for their day area.

 

[thumper650]

Here's a picture of my run, before it was completely covered with 1/2 inch hardware cloth. I have a larger duck hutch inside that they live in at night. I'm in Massachusetts and it's a similar climate, so we probably have the same predators. If you're still building it, I'd make sure you go into the ground with hardware cloth to discourage diggers, I put 12x12 pattio blocks around the perimeter. If I was to build it again, one thing I would do is make it higher so I can stand without hitting my head.

I'd say cover the top, keep them in their house at night, and sleep better!

 

[Miss Lydia]