Ducks - Deep Litter, Pea Gravel, Chipping?

[Doobly]

Hi everyone!

So it's about time we made life easier for ourselves! I've wanted to do a drastic overhaul of how we organise the run once we have extended it. At the moment we use pine shavings (big chunky ones) after giving up on straw. It's directly on a dirt floor and we are basically scraping the whole thing out every week and putting down fresh bedding every day in these wetter months. Its not a walk-in run so it's not only pretty back breaking but the bedding is already wet again the next day.

So what methods have people tried and what can they recommend? I've had a look around the forums already and the deep litter method seems popular but I'm tempted by something a bit more draining and perhaps suitable to be sprayed down come summer? I've been concerned about their feet with putting down anything hard.

Any advice or experience is appreciated!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

In my runs I prefer mulch. (Not shavings) I have walk in runs, but as long you can get a rake in yours the mulch (like you put around landscape) works best in wet weather.

 

[aart]

Biggest issue with ducks is how you manage their water, both drinking and swimming.
But I know cluck about ducks, never had them.

 

[Ratchnick]

If your run is covered you might try river rock, pea gravel or sand. If you want to go all out you probably can't get better then poultry flooring.

https://www.sanislat.com/?gclid=EAI...ce=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=2019

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wonder if small time poultry owners can buy this and what the cost would be.

 

[Runner duck mom]

We use mulch in our run too (on top of landscape fabric), its a cypress blend I think, its the only kind we can find that isn't colored. Its cheap, pretty soft and holds up for a long time. We can hose it off if needed in the summer or a good storm will wash it clean. We just add more on top when it starts to break down or gets dirty about once a month and shovel out/ clean the whole run 3x a year. Our run is uncovered all summer and covered with a tarp in the winter.

 

[Ratchnick]

I wonder if small time poultry owners can buy this and what the cost would be.

Yes, it's about $15 for a 2x4' panel. Not a cheap option but you can't really put a price on maintenance free.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That sounds like a nice option. Only problem I see is cleaning it out you'd have to be able to hose it down right? My house is wood with vinyl floor, I don't think it would be too good for me.

 

[Ratchnick]

I think shavings are optimal in the coop if you need the warmth. But where the poultry flooring shines is if you make a raised yard. It pretty much is self cleaning but you can hose it a few times a year.

 

[Jpat]

I think shavings are optimal in the coop if you need the warmth. But where the poultry flooring shines is if you make a raised yard. It pretty much is self cleaning but you can hose it a few times a year.

what do you make the raised yard from?