I'm worried about the ducks being confined in a "coop" until i let them out in the morning.
I just started ducks on my property this year. I have 5 Anconas now & am going to begin to breed them next year.
My ducks free range for the better part of the day, but I would be concerned about them staying out all night. We have at minimum raccoons within 5 miles of us. I have read LOTS of scary info about raccoons & ducks. I have few enough ducks that any predation is a substantial problem.
My ducks stay in all night. I let them out around 10:30 (I have heard that they lay in the morning, and want them in the habit of doing so inside so I don't have to play "find the egg" / "where's that egg smell coming from" too often.)Their "coop" is more of an enclosure.
It has a lean-to type of section where they have bedding & some protection from the elements & a large "run" type of section with their food, water & a small pool. This area has a pea gravel floor over 1/4" hardware cloth. They have 10 sq. ft. each in the enclosure & can access the entire unit freely. They range outside, in a larger yard bordered by crab apple trees, raspberry bushes, grape vines, and a cherry tree. They stay pretty close to the coop & usually put themselves back in there around 6/6:30. I gave them peas 2 evenings in a row & then closed them in & now they just waltz in & look at me, "bring us the peas, lady". They are much easier to move about the garden & yard than the chickens in general.
Next spring I plan to start taking any cull ducks & raising them separately, as meat birds - mostly so I don't get as attached. I plan to house them in something like this:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/how-to-build-a-chicken-coop-zm0z11zhun.aspx
only slightly larger. I figure I can build a few if needed. But, I also have all winter to plan, and knowing me, I will change my mind 10 times a day.
I am going to follow this thread, because I am really interested in how to house a few turkeys next year. I am waiting, not so patiently, for my Storey's Guide to Raising Turkeys to come.