Ducks + Chickens in one structure

[aikigypsy]

Hello!

We have about 8 hens and two roosters and are about to get 6 ducklings. The chicken's current coop is gross and falling apart -- I'm not even going to post pictures, it's just OSB and a bad roof with a hardware cloth floor, and it's held together by fading force of habit. We've never had an enclosed run for grown-up birds -- our dogs are reasonably well-behaved and keep the hawks away.

We used to have a few ducks and they all stayed in that same coop happily enough, but I want something better.

I'm thinking of pouring a concrete floor (or not) and housing the ducks under the chickens, with a 4'x8' footprint and about 3' of headspace for the ducks with the chickens above, and the roof maybe 5-6' above the chickens' floor (or less?). I'll probably attach some kind of run to keep our younger dog from getting at the duck eggs.

Any thoughts about how this might or might not work? Concrete floor for ducks vs. sand/dirt (our dirt is pretty much all sand). Winter temperatures here sometimes dip down into single digits Fahrenheit but rarely below zero (-17 Celsius), but it can get pretty windy.

Thanks!

 

[TheRealWitwiki]

Hello!

We have about 8 hens and two roosters and are about to get 6 ducklings. The chicken's current coop is gross and falling apart -- I'm not even going to post pictures, it's just OSB and a bad roof with a hardware cloth floor, and it's held together by fading force of habit. We've never had an enclosed run for grown-up birds -- our dogs are reasonably well-behaved and keep the hawks away.

We used to have a few ducks and they all stayed in that same coop happily enough, but I want something better.

I'm thinking of pouring a concrete floor (or not) and housing the ducks under the chickens, with a 4'x8' footprint and about 3' of headspace for the ducks with the chickens above, and the roof maybe 5-6' above the chickens' floor (or less?). I'll probably attach some kind of run to keep our younger dog from getting at the duck eggs.

Any thoughts about how this might or might not work? Concrete floor for ducks vs. sand/dirt (our dirt is pretty much all sand). Winter temperatures here sometimes dip down into single digits Fahrenheit but rarely below zero (-17 Celsius), but it can get pretty windy.

Thanks!

Hi I have the same issue. We have 12 chickens and now 6 ducks. I built them their own stall in my chicken coop and their own run on the opposite side of the coop. Ducks are annoying to me, but my wife wanted them. My issue is they are still a little young to go outside on their own so I have to feed them and give them water in the coop. I'm in the northeast so our temperatures are fluctuating at the moment. Hot one day cold the next. They get their water everywhere. It soaks the bedding and stinks. Chickens are so much easier to maintain. As for concrete I feel like they will keep that soaked as well. I had our ducklings in the garage before they were moved to the coop and the concrete floor stayed soaked. I'm not so sure it's good for their feet and quite slippery when it's soaked. I'm hoping here soon they can be fed and watered in their run outside and keep the floor of their stall dry. I've noticed an increase in gnats and mosquitos since I introduced the ducks into the coop so that is probably the moisture. They want water constantly and quack non stop. You have to really love ducks or your spouse to put up with it! Have fun with them and good luck!

 

[aikigypsy]

Yes, ducks are definitely much messier, but they're charming, right?

 

[TheRealWitwiki]

Yes, ducks are definitely much messier, but they're charming, right?

Yes that is where my wife got me. I said I didn't like them and she said but you thought they were cute at the store. I just think they take more time to deal with.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

I would avoid concrete. My thoughts is that it would potentially increase cold injury risk and absolutely cannot be managed with wetness and drainage. I am no expert here though.

My duck house was a wooden shipping crate. I added hinges, cut a door hole, then used pallet wood planks to "shingle" the sides. There's space at top left for air flow, plus the open doorway. It cost me one box of screws, only because we were out of them. Ducks aren't too picky I guess. My chickens even used this while we built the real coop (fit 6 hens at a time.)

 

[aikigypsy]

I would avoid concrete. My thoughts is that it would potentially increase cold injury risk and absolutely cannot be managed with wetness and drainage. I am no expert here though.

Good to know. I might do some kind of sub-floor with palates on top of it or something. I am also not an expert so this is why I'm here!