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Any ideas for a small coop for the ducks for winter? Eight now they mainly go underneath barns/chicken coops to get out of the weather. Need a more permanent solution for a small coop that will house 12 ducks or more.. Is the square footage per bird about the same as chickens? They are free range so I'm looking for something that they can go in on their own at night or any time during the day. Something not very expensive, and not taking up too much material either. We're thinking about closing in the bottom of the one chicken coop for them, but I think it might be too small and I'd almost have to do some kind of door that opens to see if they lay eggs under there..
 
ChickenLover200 said:
Any ideas for a small coop for the ducks for winter? Eight now they mainly go underneath barns/chicken coops to get out of the weather. Need a more permanent solution for a small coop that will house 12 ducks or more.. Is the square footage per bird about the same as chickens? They are free range so I'm looking for something that they can go in on their own at night or any time during the day. Something not very expensive, and not taking up too much material either. We're thinking about closing in the bottom of the one chicken coop for them, but I think it might be too small and I'd almost have to do some kind of door that opens to see if they lay eggs under there..
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Ducks especially Muscovy's need about 4sq' per duck inside. have you looked into hoop houses? or for a trio a very large dog house. You have to have good ventilation for their health.
 
Double Kindness said:
We made the muscovies a hutch out of a Rubbermaid tote but they won't go in it





This is my set up, is the ramp too high up for the ducks to go into? After my dp meaties are gone, I would like the trio to use the coop for their safety and comfort. Right now there are 2 enclosed runs with a big tall gate that I open the coop in the morning and the dp meaties rush out the drawbridge and I shoo them into the attached run area so the ducks don't get picked on. The coop is supported and overhangs on both sides offering predator protection and shade, the area where the ducks are at is actually concrete covered in dirt and fresh straw as it rained really hard and I almost slipped and fell in the mud yesterday. I use a cheap big stock pot from a set my bf bought at harbor freight that are useless for cooking with for their water dish, stumps for them to chill out on, and a huge Rubbermaid tote that I didn't take a picture of yet that they refuse to go into.

They also refuse to eat the 18% protein layer feed, they only want the 26% protein gamebird feed, I have been giving them watermelon and lots of veggie scraps which they seem to enjoy with enthusiasm to lower the % protein they get.

The people I got them from said they hatched August 8.
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If the ramp sat on the ground they may not see it as a problem. plus strip of wood going across the width like rungs so they can grasp with their claws while walking up. like strips. I know castportpony feeds her flock game bird feed and i think she said she hasn't had a problem with angel wing. I cut protein in Flock raiser with whole oats. Some kind of treat may entice them to go up the ramp and inside. Mine love dried mealworms, but anything new ducks don't like right off so you may have to catch them and put them to bed.
 
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The one above is my male Muscovy, bert. We got him at a farm sale and he was going to be made into a turducken. They also thought he was a she so Bertha became a bert. He came with the father of my other Muscovy mix

This is my female Muscovys only surviving baby he is mixed with khaki Campbell
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This is his father
 
Thejperez said:

The one above is my male Muscovy, bert. We got him at a farm sale and he was going to be made into a turducken. They also thought he was a she so Bertha became a bert. He came with the father of my other Muscovy mix

This is my female Muscovys only surviving baby he is mixed with khaki Campbell




This is his father
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Bert is beautiful glad you saved him. Baby is gorgeous too and of course daddy.
 
Double Kindness said:
We made the muscovies a hutch out of a Rubbermaid tote but they won't go in it





This is my set up, is the ramp too high up for the ducks to go into? After my dp meaties are gone, I would like the trio to use the coop for their safety and comfort. Right now there are 2 enclosed runs with a big tall gate that I open the coop in the morning and the dp meaties rush out the drawbridge and I shoo them into the attached run area so the ducks don't get picked on. The coop is supported and overhangs on both sides offering predator protection and shade, the area where the ducks are at is actually concrete covered in dirt and fresh straw as it rained really hard and I almost slipped and fell in the mud yesterday. I use a cheap big stock pot from a set my bf bought at harbor freight that are useless for cooking with for their water dish, stumps for them to chill out on, and a huge Rubbermaid tote that I didn't take a picture of yet that they refuse to go into.

They also refuse to eat the 18% protein layer feed, they only want the 26% protein gamebird feed, I have been giving them watermelon and lots of veggie scraps which they seem to enjoy with enthusiasm to lower the % protein they get.

The people I got them from said they hatched August 8.
Click to expand...
Ducks won´t have a problem with height. It´s probably just because it´s new. Give them time, and try to feed them their favourite food in there, then leave them to it, not shutting them in or anything, so they get to trust the place.


MuscovyLover said:
My girls are still new to it all. They only turned 1 last month.
Shazzy was making nests before she was even laying lol and is a brilliant mumma. This is her third clutch.
Sammy (girl I've just given eggs too) has only hatched 1 clutch and it was disastrous! She fiercely protected her eggs and brooded like a model duck but when they hatched she threw thdm out of the bed so she could protect her "eggs" (the shells) from them. She was quite distressed so I put them in the brooder and two days later had to fight her for the pancake thin shells she was still brooding on.
Our third girl, Quacky is not maternal at all. She is bossy, mean, and really rough with her eggs. Spends half the day off them, sometimes the night too. She's lucky she's pretty because she's a witch lol. Nearly all of her only clutch she brooded had ruptured air sacs and didn't makr it to hatch. The one that did she killed.
Ahh the joys of having ducks with such big personalities
smile.png
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Sounds like, if they don´t do well this time around, it´d be best to eat all the eggs from the rotten moms (I´m sure it´s an inherited/learned thing), and just leave the good mom to raise her brood.
I have one here that no way will I let her breed again. And others that are fantastic moms.
 

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