Muddy mudders

[Cherib603]

Hi all! My 3 pekins and 2 snowy mallards are 6 weeks old and they spend every night locked in their 5x15' covered pen and have a 1/4 acre of fenced in free range area where their pool is. They are let out around 6:30 am and tucked in at dusk. Though they are free to be out in the yard all day, they tend to spend about half the day inside the pen, where their food and water are located. It's become quite a muddy poopy mess around their food & water dishes. What do you suggest I put down in there for ground cover that will help absorb the wetness and cut the poopiness? Or should I just leave it dirt and hose it out? (It was all grass 3 weeks ago!). I put straw down on one end where they sleep and that doesn't get wet and the poop is much less there.

 

[Welshies]

Well, you can try pea gravel, or sand. People get good results with those.

 

[Gray Farms]

x2, pea gravel works good.

 

[Cherib603]

Great! Will be getting some pea gravel!

 

[Welshies]

Great! Will be getting some pea gravel!

Make sure it is really small so their feet can't get injured.

 

[Cherib603]

Ok.... Will look for itty bitty peas.

 

[Gray Farms]

Some sand mixed in could help if you can't find the small pea gravel.

 

[Cherib603]

Thanks!!

 

[Gray Farms]

That's the only thing I hate about ducks. They make such a mess.

 

[Cherib603]

I just want to keep their pen as clean and healthy as I can for them, but they fight me every step of the way! Lol!