Duck Run Advice Needed

[ProudRedneck]

Just finished building our (temporary) duck run and I have a few questions I would like to get other opinions on.

1. Should I cover the whole floor with bedding? My thought process was at the end where you don't see the bedding is where they're drinking water and a small kitty litter pan for them to bathe in is at and would get wet almost immediately. So I figured it would cut down the mess if I didn't put bedding down that way. However I don't like the idea of them walking on metal the entire time. What do y'all think?

2. I have a tarp that I think I want to put over the duck house and the closest third section of the duck run. Purpose being that it would waterproof the house a little more and provide a covered area inside the run that would give the ducks some comfort instead of having to go in the house. What do y'all think?

3. Any other suggestions?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Yes, cover it with the tarp or all your shavings will be wet. Yes, they will get the shavings wet by the water. Can the water drain if there isn’t shavings there?
I like your set-up btw. Well done!

 

[Miss Lydia]

It looks really nice. I would def cover over the run to keep it dry.

 

[ProudRedneck]

Yes, cover it with the tarp or all your shavings will be wet. Yes, they will get the shavings wet by the water. Can the water drain if there isn’t shavings there?
I like your set-up btw. Well done!

We did not install anything separate for drainage. It's just a quarter inch hardware cloth lining the bottom over grass. We do have it positioned over our drain field so it should run off the sides. I know it will get wet by their water but should I put shavings down at that end anyways?

 

[ProudRedneck]

It looks really nice. I would def cover over the run to keep it dry.

Should I be covering the entire run? I thought it would be best to have some uncovered parts of the run so the duckies can get some sunshine.

 

[ProudRedneck]

We're headed out of town tomorrow and will be gone for two weeks so they will be in this thing 24/7 until we get back

 

[Miss Lydia]

Would be nice if they could get some sun.

 

[ruthhope]

I think you should cover the hardware cloth with bedding. I don't know which state you are in, but my son and I use a layer of live oak leaves over the hardware cloth in our coops. We use mainly pine shavings for their bedding but occasionally add a layer of oak leaves in the sleeping area. We also have tarps full length along to roof -- our ducks are outside free ranging most days.
I use a white/clear tarp over my coop and have it down to the ground at the moment. Last summer it was turned up halfway on one side, but I now prefer it down, having turned the tarp down to the ground for the winter. Its light and airy inside.
My son has grey tarps but only over the curved roof of his coop -- the sides are not covered. His coop is quite dark withe the tarps on the roof but his ducks [all laying females] like it just fine.
Will you have someone going in feeding and watering your ducks -- and generally keeping an eye on them, while you are away? Unlike Chickens, ducks need daily attention. Their water gets fouled with food and in warm weather the water soon ferments. They would be at risk of eating all the food early on in a two week absence and then starving for the remaining days.

 

[ProudRedneck]

I think you should cover the hardware cloth with bedding. I don't know which state you are in, but my son and I use a layer of live oak leaves over the hardware cloth in our coops. We use mainly pine shavings for their bedding but occasionally add a layer of oak leaves in the sleeping area. We also have tarps full length along to roof -- our ducks are outside free ranging most days.
I use a white/clear tarp over my coop and have it down to the ground at the moment. Last summer it was turned up halfway on one side, but I now prefer it down, having turned the tarp down to the ground for the winter. Its light and airy inside.
My son has grey tarps but only over the curved roof of his coop -- the sides are not covered. His coop is quite dark withe the tarps on the roof but his ducks [all laying females] like it just fine.
Will you have someone going in feeding and watering your ducks -- and generally keeping an eye on them, while you are away? Unlike Chickens, ducks need daily attention. Their water gets fouled with food and in warm weather the water soon ferments. They would be at risk of eating all the food early on in a two week absence and then starving for the remaining days.

I'm in Fruit Cove, FL, in between Jacksonville & St. Augustine so Live Oaks we have. I'll cover the last ⅓ of the run floor, where their water is with the leaves. I have covered the top ⅔ of the run with a tarp and it gets sun until 11:00 a.m., then it's full shade until the next morning. The uncovered ⅓ part will continue to get sun until around 2:00 p.m. We also added vents on both sides of the house to allow for ventilation.

Water is set up on a 55 gallon trash can with spigot installed that will supply an automatic watering bowl with float valve.

Food is set up in a gravity feeder made out of 3ft tall 4-in PVC pipe.

Our daughter will be house sitting while we are gone and monitoring their water daily, topping off the food, and refreshing the bedding as needed.

I am installing a security camera today so that I can monitor them while we're gone.

Any further suggestions are welcomed and wanted. Although I am driving my SO insane with me worrying about them since this will be the first time we've left since we got them. I have become so attached to them that last night was the first night they spent in their new house and I was inconsolable after putting them in the run and coming back into the house without them. Daffy/Daphne kept frantically pacing the side of the run trying to figure out how to get to me. Both Daffy/Daphne & Daisy were crying for me as I was walking away. Neither understanding why I was leaving them. I also could not sit in the living room to watch TV with my SO because it hurt too much to not see them next to me or hear them in the living room with us.

And now I'm crying again

 

[Miss Lydia]

Empty nest syndrome. Happens to us all. Sounds like you have everything covered and they will be well taken care of. Enjoy your trip!