Duck pen

[pekin12ducks]

My ducks have a nice pen that they stay in to sleep, and they are in there about half the day when I'm not around (but when I am home they free range). But they ripped out all the grass in their pen, so right now it is all mud, and no grass at all. Should I put pine shaving all over the mud or something to substitute the grass the pulled out of the ground or should I just leave it muddy

 

[gilbert2]

I like to use either straw or cut up straw, as bedding. The cut up stuff is really wonderful; not only is it a great cushion, but it can be raked up and removed when it gets full of poop. It isn't even expensive, either,
I might be wary of using pine needles, since they have so much resin.......

 

[purslanegarden]

I agree, ducks can have a muddy area if they have other spots that are dry, but if their entire pen is small and muddy, I think adding some kind of bedding is good.

At the same time, it could also mean that you could find another water solution for them, one in which there isn't so much spillage. Have them swim in their little pond outside the pen, but when they're in the pen, just have enough for them to dunk their heads. I assume there is a pool in there but if not, then it means they do have a lot of water to drink, and that could also be remedied with another kind of waterer design.