Ducks? (Breeds and pen/pond) (lots of pictures)

[ShrekDawg]

Really? Wow, that would be awesome! I always thought they needed a coop though? Or do ducks not really? I think we actually do have a kennel that we were going to use for a run if we got chickens but it could work for either purpose. I think it might be 8x12 but I'm not sure

 

[silkiecuddles]

I think one of the main reasons why chickens need a coop is because they need a roost and nesting boxes.
In my ducks pen they have a little plastic box with some hay in it in the corner. They lay their eggs in it and they all sleep together in another corner. Their water bowls are in the corner opposite the best box. It seems strange to me to keep ducks in a coop, but probably because my coops are raised off the ground.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That makes a lot of sense!! They seem really happy

and oh yeah, I'd always heard of ducks needing or at least preferring the coop to be on the ground? it definitely makes sense though considering the history and a pen seems like it would maybe be better for them.

so do yours have access to swimming water all the time or only sometimes? Because I saw something say that they're really messy so it's easier to give it to them a few times a week but it seems to me like they'd be happier having it all the time?

 

[silkiecuddles]

We keep several gallon waterers out and they always have accessed to their kiddy pool. Even in the winter when it freezes we break it and they swim

 

[ShrekDawg]

Really?wow that's awesome

 

[TLWR]

My ducks are free range in the fenced yard other than during baby fox learning to hunt season. Then they are penned up.
Their pen has the chicken house (raised up for ease for us) and the duck house, same concept, but just off the ground so it doesn't flood and the ducks can still get in.

The girls like corners of their house. They lay their eggs in the nest box 98% of the time. They lay in the wee hours of the morning, so have laid by the time they are let out.
They are locked up for their safety every night. Nothing is getting into their house (other than a snake - which has been in there before). Their pen - it is open, so while wired to keep land critters out, flying ones could still get in.

When they are in their pen, they have a kiddie pool. When they are in the yard, they have their 11x7 pond that they hang out in.
The pool in their pen gets emptied 2x a week. Their pond, 1-2x a year.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That sounds like a neat idea! thanks for all the info, it's cool to see all the different ideas for housing and pools and everything.

 

[Margot50]

I have had Australian spotted ducks (highly recommended). We had a koi pond of about 2500 gallons with a pump/filter sort of similar to a pool which handled the poop etc well. The ducks loved the pond and the filter kept the water clear so you could really appreciate them zooming around Nader water