housing question

[WickedChicksNH]

Hi all
I have my 4 ducks who co-exist with my 6 chickens. they all get along great. right now I have 2 coops one is for my broody hen Luna, so she is moody and by herself at the moment and the other is where all the others stay at night and they have a big pen to roam.
this is temporary.

We are converting out Shed into a chicken coop, it is only have the shed as there are two sides but it's still very good size.

Come winter (as this will be my first winter with ducks) should they have their own area? the coop is going to be attached to a big run. so I will have to go through the run to get to the coop

The step up to the coop is about 8 inches.. is this too high for ducks even if I make a ramp? or should I create their own little area in the run, I just figure it would be warmer in the coop for them with all the chickens, I was thinking of making a nice area on the floor for them that of course have a top so they won't get pooped on by the chickens

Plus I will have a chicken heater in there just a small one that won't heat up the whole coop but if they are cold they can go near it and get warm, and the water will have a deicer too.

I just dont want to have to get 2 of everything for each each living area if I dont have to, if I can keep them all in one area that would be great.. but if I have to then I have to.

thank you

 

[PirateGirl]

If everyone lives peacefully together now, why do you think it will be a problem later?

 

[Miss Lydia]

In winter all my ducks chickens and geese sleep in the one large coop. They like being together especially in extreme cold temps. I can't do this during breeding season except with my Muscovy's they have their home with the chickens year round. I put up poop boards so my chickens wouldn't poop on the Muscovy's when they sleep on the floor. Sometimes my scovy's even roost with the chickens.

 

[WickedChicksNH]

I would love to keep them together and I think they would prefer it, I thought I read somewhere if it is too high for a duck to walk up into a coop they won't go. but I was going to put a no slip ramp so they could get up.. 8 inches shouldn't be too high

 

[PirateGirl]

I would love to keep them together and I think they would prefer it, I thought I read somewhere if it is too high for a duck to walk up into a coop they won't go. but I was going to put a no slip ramp so they could get up.. 8 inches shouldn't be too high

You can try a ramp or just one step would do the trick.

 

[ChickenRelatedUserName]

8" isn't too high. You'll just need to adjust the length of the ramp if you feel it is too steep. You could also consider making several small steps.

The door on my coop is about 25" off the ground, but I made the ramp long enough that it is a gentle slope. My ducks used to fall off this ramp all the time for the first few weeks. They don't anymore though.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Here's my muscovy on a ramp, though that isn't his house.

And, his little followers...

 

[Lil Drake40]

Follow the leader. Lol

 

[Lil Drake40]

I have ramps going into my houses just make it wide enough to accommodate those webs and long enough it’s not steep.

 

[PirateGirl]

My ducks can climb in and out of their pool which is easily 8". They do better when they use their step or climb in and out of their house at about 4". A few bricks or a big rock would work, no construction needed.