Duck pen in progress

[Big Cluck]

Hi all! I have a duck pen in progress here. It will house a pair of BEI/call cross (I think) ducks. The pressure treat rectangle will hold their pond, have a water porch and be filled with sand. The non pond end will have a food and water station. The little house is also not finished. The front panel is removable and the top will be on hinges. The ramp will have railings. When it’s finished it will have a net over the top of the pen. Everything I used was repurposed or up cycled except the pressure treat wood and the pond tub. The pond tub is a mixing tub from the concrete section of the box home improvement store. The house is built from pallets, leftover and reused plywood. The pen is a dog run we cut down from 7x14 to 7x7. I’m not in a super hurry as they currently live in a dog crate inside and are lovely to keep indoors provided they have plenty of outdoor time. Our previous ducks were large breed and could roam the yard. These little guys are snack size so they need constant hawk protection. Just thought I’d share the pictures, any input welcome. Happy ducking!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks good!

Thank you for sharing

 

[ruthhope]

Cute snack sized ducks! Don't forget predators that burrow underneath fences to get to their prey!

 

[Big Cluck]

We don’t get much trouble from burrowing predators during the day here. Our main predators seem to be raccoons and hawks. The pen is surrounded by ledge and other things that make burrowing unlikely and in most places impossible. Their house is going to be secure against any predators that burrow. Their house is going to be secure unless the predators start packin electric screwdrivers and lock picking equipment. If anything gets in there it would have to be human or possibly bear, though the latter is unlikely here. But, yes, thank you I’ve considered the possibility of burrowers also.

 

[ruthhope]

We don’t get much trouble from burrowing predators during the day here. Our main predators seem to be raccoons and hawks. The pen is surrounded by ledge and other things that make burrowing unlikely and in most places impossible. Their house is going to be secure against any predators that burrow. Their house is going to be secure unless the predators start packin electric screwdrivers and lock picking equipment. If anything gets in there it would have to be human or possibly bear, though the latter is unlikely here. But, yes, thank you I’ve considered the possibility of burrowers also.

We have had a raccoon burrowing to try and get into my son's coop -- overnight, not during the day.
I just got really worried about raccoons as I was awoken by a bang and opened the door to see a furry behind disappearing into the shrubbery. I didn't see a stripey tail -- I didn't have on my glasses and it was very dark -- so I don't know if it was a raccoon or a possum. But two days later there was unmistakable raccoon scatt on the side path, infront of the gate, near my duck coop. So now my coop is reinforced with hardware cloth over the chicken wire. Yes, the raccoons in our yards have been at night but I have see them occasionally during the day. Hence worrying about raccoons and your little ducks! Glad to know they will be predator proofed at night in their duck house!

 

[Big Cluck]

We have had a raccoon burrowing to try and get into my son's coop -- overnight, not during the day.
I just got really worried about raccoons as I was awoken by a bang and opened the door to see a furry behind disappearing into the shrubbery. I didn't see a stripey tail -- I didn't have on my glasses and it was very dark -- so I don't know if it was a raccoon or a possum. But two days later there was unmistakable raccoon scatt on the side path, infront of the gate, near my duck coop. So now my coop is reinforced with hardware cloth over the chicken wire. Yes, the raccoons in our yards have been at night but I have see them occasionally during the day. Hence worrying about raccoons and your little ducks! Glad to know they will be predator proofed at night in their duck house!

That rock in the picture behind the pen goes all the way clear to china…. The back wall the burrower would have to burrow under 20 years of dead brush, clear 2 fences and the 3 foot bed of sand and drainage stone. On the other side the burrower would have to clear the shed, and a pile of very large rocks. And the front wall is almost entirely ledge underneath and one corner is on the patio. There is also several feet of huge rocks at the front of the pen as well. It’s not in an area where hardware cloth can be buried. It could be possible, but there is a lot of easier lunch out there. Yes… raccoons are awful…. The house wasn’t even finished before it had coon prints all down one side. No one even lives in it yet. They are relentless.

 

[Big Cluck]

We have had a raccoon burrowing to try and get into my son's coop -- overnight, not during the day.
I just got really worried about raccoons as I was awoken by a bang and opened the door to see a furry behind disappearing into the shrubbery. I didn't see a stripey tail -- I didn't have on my glasses and it was very dark -- so I don't know if it was a raccoon or a possum. But two days later there was unmistakable raccoon scatt on the side path, infront of the gate, near my duck coop. So now my coop is reinforced with hardware cloth over the chicken wire. Yes, the raccoons in our yards have been at night but I have see them occasionally during the day. Hence worrying about raccoons and your little ducks! Glad to know they will be predator proofed at night in their duck house!

Also, chicken wire is great for somethings, but it doesn’t keep things out, we don’t use it on the coops, we only use hardware cloth. We use chicken wire to keep chickens from squeezing out of openings, and from wandering into gardens, but it’s just not safe to use it alone to keep things out. So good job on covering it up. I’ve started using latches the have place to put a padlock. Raccoons will return again and again and learn how to operate simple latches. They can work together to get in. They also have regular rounds that they make, so they will keep returning and trying again. Good luck with your raccoon.

 

[ruthhope]

Also, chicken wire is great for somethings, but it doesn’t keep things out, we don’t use it on the coops, we only use hardware cloth. We use chicken wire to keep chickens from squeezing out of openings, and from wandering into gardens, but it’s just not safe to use it alone to keep things out. So good job on covering it up. I’ve started using latches the have place to put a padlock. Raccoons will return again and again and learn how to operate simple latches. They can work together to get in. They also have regular rounds that they make, so they will keep returning and trying again. Good luck with your raccoon.

My chicken wire wasn't used alone! It was attached to and reinforced every 6 inches with strong metal masons ladders. The sides are also covered by a tarp at night -- ony open during the day. But I was worried about raccoon hands getting through and grabbing a duck!

My son and I use carabiner/D-clips through the latches rather than padlocks.

 

[Big Cluck]

My chicken wire wasn't used alone! It was attached to and reinforced every 6 inches with strong metal masons ladders. The sides are also covered by a tarp at night -- ony open during the day. But I was worried about raccoon hands getting through and grabbing a duck!

My son and I use carabiner/D-clips through the latches rather than padlocks.

Many years ago we left a fully feathered batch of chicks in a dog crate in our run overnight. One of the hatches wasn’t secured, a raccoon got into the run and took one of them apart bit by bit. In the morning the bird looked as though it had deflated, but all that was left was feathers and wings and some very frightened brood mates. There is no spaces that are large enough for a raccoon to get a hand in anymore, not even for 1 night. I’ve actually decided to fasten hardware cloth all along the lower 2 feet of new pen because the chain link doesn’t prevent grabbing and dismemberment.

 

[ruthhope]

Many years ago we left a fully feathered batch of chicks in a dog crate in our run overnight. One of the hatches wasn’t secured, a raccoon got into the run and took one of them apart bit by bit. In the morning the bird looked as though it had deflated, but all that was left was feathers and wings and some very frightened brood mates. There is no spaces that are large enough for a raccoon to get a hand in anymore, not even for 1 night. I’ve actually decided to fasten hardware cloth all along the lower 2 feet of new pen because the chain link doesn’t prevent grabbing and dismemberment.

Yes! That was me 2 days ago: not leaving anywhere a raccoon hand might get in and do damage. THere are too many sad stories like yours, @Big Cluck