Is it safe for ducklings to have coop door open at night to allow an access to fenced run?

[chicksandchickens]

We have got 8 weeks old Runner Ducks and this is something I have always planned for them to have... a free access to water and pond whenever they wished. However, now I am somehow very nervous about doing so. Up until now the ducklings have been kept in a wooden coop within a fenced run. During the day they had a free access to everything, shelter with straw bedding, outside pool, water and food. I hoped in keeping a deep litter system for them within their coop (concrete base in the coop), but no matter what I do, the bedding gets awfully wet and smelly and I happen to be cleaning it much too often. Not what I have expected with regards to the time demand and cost either. I read about a possibility of removing water for drinking from their coop, but I feel a bit worried about that (what if they choke on straw or feel too hot during some hot night?). And so I have started to play with the idea of keeping the door on their coop open at night so that they wouldn't have to have any water inside. This way they would be free to come and go as they pleased. We have invested a lot of money into what we though of as a perfect predator-proof fence. Heavy duty mesh 2.1m tall fence with climb-proof bend outwards of further 0.5m (holes 50x75mm). It is attached into a buried outwards 0.5m skirting disguised by turf. It looks mighty and safe during the day, but as the night falls I start to worry if it really will live to its expectations. We have got lots of foxes and badgers living around our garden. Is it realistic for me to think they should be fine with their coop door open at night? Would it be possible for them to have this free access out at night at this age? At the moment they are very much used to go inside at bed time and keep complaining being confused until I shut their coop door. I worry, that if I don't stop this wet straw madness, they are going to get unwell soon. Moreover, we need to leave for a couple of weeks while my neighbor will be looking after them (an agreement we had with him before we got them with eventually sharing eggs). Despite of our agreement, I do not want to overburden him by having him cleaning the coop and changing their bedding every single day.

Any thoughts on this matter would be much appreciated. Perhaps I will post a photo of the fence set up tomorrow.

 

[DuckyDonna]

OK, the first thing I'd do is get the food and water out of the coop at night. You will see a 100% improvement right away. And that is the rest of the story!

Now if the temperature is over 100° I will put a bucket of water in the pen at night but that is the only time. I also put a big aluminum disposable pan under the bucket.

 

[chicksandchickens]

Thanks for the prompt response, DuckyDonna. Should I be worried about potential choking though as I often find them having eaten their straw during the night. With them having access to water made me more comfortable about washing down whether they would try to eat.

 

[Beaglegal]

my ducks don’t have water in their coop at night and are fine. It has never been an issue. I’d feel safer removing the water at night then leaving the coop door open, even with an enclosed run

 

[Miss Lydia]

@chicksandchickens can you post some pictures of your set up? That way we can hopefully tell you if what you want to do is safe . I feel reluctant to say yes after a member just lost her whole flock of Runners from a predator who breached her pen. Yours sure sounds much more secure though.

 

[nimrah]

personally I leave the door closed as it lets me have the feeling there safe, but I do leave food, water and a lamp with them.

 

[3bird]

It would be great to see a picture of your run. We leave our duckhouse door open 24/7 (except for serious blizzards), and the ducks have free choice access to food, water and grit in the run. Our duckhouse stays dry and is easy to clean (we use the deep litter method as well). Our run is predator proof (hardware cloth, roof, predator apron, and latches on doors). We do a regular inspection to make sure all is secure and that there is no sign of a predator trying to get in. We also have motion sensing cameras that record any issues.