fixing up used cheap dog house for ducks FINISHED PICS!!!!!

[AHappychick]

A month ago I picked up a old dog house on Craigs List for $30. Today I ripped of the old shingles and found the wood all rotten and bugs living in it.

It was all sorts of scrap wood, some particle board, and all sorts of junk, there was even some styrofoam (not the insulation kind) shoved in. lol

So I ripped all that off fixed the frame a bit and cut old scraps of 1/4 inch sheets and put them on. I then covered the back in the left overs, not pretty but with some wood filler and paint should look fine.

Tomorrow I will do the front over and shingle it. but I have to get some of that tar paper first.

Then I want to put down a new floor. I have some extra tile left over from the previous owners and thought that it might be good to pitch the floor to a drain in the center like in a shower and then have the house on a platform so I could run a drain pipe under and out into the stream where the rain runoff goes. This way I could hose out the house and not worry about soaking the whole area... but that will just add to its weight...

Then I will paint it and poof a duck house

My only question is whether or not i was a good idea to not put a nest box in since many say the ducks dont use them. I was planning on building a natural looking one outside in the aviary any suggestions welcome

here is the old roof or whats left of it lol

 

[lilchick]

I too use a dog house for my ducks..
Yours will be really nice when its all done and painted...
I found that my duck hens will lay in the corner of their house and cover the eggs up.
I also have had them lay in the corner of the pen... You could try a nest box but it will take up room in their house....
Please post a pic. when you get er all done!

 

[AHappychick]

I got the roof on, had just enough to be able to do with with left over shingles I found, that is if I did it in stripes Actually I rather like it that way, I think I should start a new roofing trend

 

[ChickenToes]

If you want to put a nesting box in, go ahead, but it's not necessary. Mine lay in their nesting box every once in awhile, but they would rather lay them in a corner of the coop.

 

[AHappychick]

Well more work continued today on the duck pen which is almost finished and the duck house and Ducuzzi lol

here are some new pics, its dark now so the pen pics will have to wait.

Here is the house, still have to paint the other side, I did these with my ds for fun. I am no artist by any stretch of the imagination as you can see.







The ducuzzi lol I am sure it will get yucky fast so I did not take much time in painting it, once it starts to look bad I will cover with foliage and such

But for now my DS is pleased with the "ducky bath"




drain I put in to drain it for cleaning, the elbow below attaches to corrugated pipe so I can cut and place where ever is best once it is in the run.

 

[monarc23]

That is awesome!!! I love how you did the doggie house, and the drain in the pool! I would have NEVER thought of something like that! LOL!

 

[AHappychick]

i did not think up the ideas either I got them from other BYC members lol

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I absolutely love it!! I have to show it to my grandson tomorrow after school. I know that he'll just adore it.

Your gonna have some lucky ducks!

We promised my grandson that when we moved to TN that he could have two pekin ducks. I may just steal your idea!

~Laurie~

 

[AHappychick]

Well the duck pen is pretty much finished. Just need to set up the Ducuzzi, fix the nest up and make some ramps and add lost more pebbles and river rock.

I walked all over my land finally deciding that rather than donating my pond to the ducklings that I would fence in my fresh flowing stream instead. To try to keep the mud factor down I am going to add river rocks and such, you can see I startled with some left over bags I had lying around.




Still need a ramp for the house and finish painting and plant some tall grass.




I used a tarp for some shade and cover from the elements over the old rotted tree stump that I will make into a nest, hopefully they will approve lol and nylon netting for the back and some plastic netting (I will one day replace with the nylon just did not have any more in that size and do not want to cut a longer piece.) I hope it is predator proof. I have read everyone's techniques and have hardwire around the bottom, and rock and yard staples holding it down along with zip ties. The top netting and tarp are on tight as well I also double hardware clothed the stream so that nothing could get through there, I extended the hardwire 24 inches in that section, 12 inched all around.

Well they are in, dont seem thrilled but it will take them a while to get used to it I suppose. Tomorrow I will complete it

and take pics of them swimming

And here they are inside

 

[agirly4chicks]

Very cute. I also love your yard.