how much sand?

[yoyosma]

Just looking in my ever-present copy of Dave Holderread's book on ducks, and at his farm he has a 4-6'' layer of pea gravel around pools, and sand- (or pea gravel covered with sand and sawdust) - in his runs.
Maybe I'll try pea gravel in the run for better drainage, and top it (and keep re-topping it) with sand- like the first poster, I can get sand for free... it does seem like sand alone becomes poop-filled mud really fast.
I also haven't done the thing that (yet) Holderread recommends, of putting my waterers on a wire-topped, gravel-filled base. That would help with my mud problem as well....

 

[70%cocoa]

Just a wire-topped 'porch' for the water - no need to fill it with gravel. I have one in my duck grower pen and it's brilliant. Best approach to water by far. Use very strong mesh and attach it securely enough do you can walk on it if you need to.

My adult duck pen has a sand base, as mentioned. Each day I pick up poop with a kitty litter scooper and take the sand. When I say rake I really mean hoe, with a three pronged rake/hoe-like thing. You need to break it up and loosen it. Every couple of months I take off the top inch of sand with a shovel and put it in a wheelbarrow and wash it, then put it back. This keeps the sand pretty free-draining and smelling fine.

Whatever you use they will put it in their water so definitely consider the water on the wire base to minimize this.

No surface is maintenance or trouble free - sand is no exception. But I used it instead of gravel as it's kinder to duck feet as mentioned by another poster. Bumblefoot isn't just from cuts - rough surfaces can cause it via bruising, pressure and inflammation. My ducks hate walking on gravel (I have some areas of gravel out in my backyard).