Muddy Duck Pen

[ryanhodapp]

Do not use straw outside. I had read on here about pine needles. We can't buy them in bales like you can in the south. I actually bought some when visiting my niece at Ole Miss. I love them and wish I could get more.

We are having record flooding in the St Louis area and my yard is inches of mud. The city usually starts mulching Christmas trees by now but they are busy sandbagging.

The fresh pine mulch smells great and the needles get mixed in.
i love the ducks, but I hate the mud and the ducks love the mud.

 

[Amiga]

I would consider some kind of covered platform that you can place bedding - shavings is what I would use - that you can easily scrape out and replace. A not-too-steep ramp up to the platform covered with plastic poultry fence for traction would be good.

Ordinarily, when someone has a muddy run, I recommend making a shallow channel on the downhill side to direct water into a garden or depression with mulch (planting something like shrubby willow - not near the septic! - or other perennial, perhaps a flowering perennial shrub).

But for this atypical monsoon season, I would consider a simple structure. A wooden pallet covered with plastic poultry fence ought to suit them - and a bit of roofing material (I think it's made of fiberglass or polycarbonate) seems pretty straightforward. And no, there is no guarantee they will love it. But they might.

If there is mud that doesn't dry up, it can begin to breed too many bacteria especially in warm weather, and that can lead to bumblefoot and other problems.

 

[HardisonsHens]

I would consider some kind of covered platform that you can place bedding - shavings is what I would use - that you can easily scrape out and replace.  A not-too-steep ramp up to the platform covered with plastic poultry fence for traction would be good.

Ordinarily, when someone has a muddy run, I recommend making a shallow channel on the downhill side to direct water into a garden or depression with mulch (planting something like shrubby willow - not near the septic! - or other perennial, perhaps a flowering perennial shrub).

But for this atypical monsoon season, I would consider a simple structure.  A wooden pallet covered with plastic poultry fence ought to suit them - and a bit of roofing material (I think it's made of fiberglass or polycarbonate) seems pretty straightforward.  And no, there is no guarantee they will love it.  But they might.

If there is mud that doesn't dry up, it can begin to breed too many bacteria especially in warm weather, and that can lead to bumblefoot and other problems.

We built them a ramp/dock that they use to get into their pond and I've noticed here lately they have been laying up on their during the day when they're not actually mucking around in the mud lol, in the evenings or when its raining they go inside their big plastic dog kennel.I went today and got a few bales of wheat straw to put in there pen to"help"a lil.Hubby and I were talking about digging a trench but will have to wait till it dries up round here.This is the most miserable weather ever as a matter of fact it's raining again

 

[cayugaducklady]

we have had so much rain for the past couple months that their pen is pure mud,

My hens would think this was ducky heaven .

I think as long as they have a place to get out of the cold, damp, wet when they want to they'll probably be fine.

I used river rock and a mixture of coconut coir & straw to control the wet areas in my duck area. The coir does a really good job of sponging up moisture.

For a permanent solution I'm going to plant water loving sedges grasses and plants this spring.