My duck habitat

[AnnaLease]

We got the green plastic poultry fence at Menards. It was $20 for 25 feet and we got two rolls.

We are using our old rabbit hutch for housing. I don't know what we'll do in the winter, yet. But I really like how the bottom is hardware cloth, so it has nice drainage. We took out a section of chicken wire on the hutch and put on a ramp that comes up at night for a door.

The very-easy-to-make gate. When we close it, it simply hooks together with the fence and stays shut.

Enjoying cherry tomatoes.

Yes, they can fly out, but they will be free ranging soon anyways, and when they fly out they always come back, so no big deal.

Question- when I shut them up in the hutch at night, do they need water? I put them in about 8:30 at night and let them out about 8:30 in the morning. I have been giving them water, but do they really need it, cause it make the hay all wet?

 

[Amiga]

Storey's Guide recommends that if you're going to let them do without water, it should only be for eight to ten hours. I understand about the wet straw - we have an attached hardware-cloth covered porch for water and food overnight. There is no food or water in the duck house, but they can walk safely out to the veranda for a drink or a snack overnight.

I use the half inch hardware cloth because, I am told, raccoons will reach through chicken wire. I could not see what kind of wire the hutch has.

Nice setup, by the way.

 

[tbitt]

I no longer put water in with mine at night. Mine are 9 weeks old.

 

[AnnaLease]

OK, thanks, I'll try tonight without water.
The hutch has chicken wire around it. Even if a coon could reach throught the wire, I don't think he could get anything pulled out, right?

 

[aineheartsyou]

Quote:
racoons can reach through chicken wire and will pull a bird apart piece by piece

 

[AnnaLease]

Ooooh...

 

[fisharescary]

One of your ducks looks a little strange, are you sure it's ok? The orange one with the long stripey tail.......

(I think I'm funny

)

Aside from what was already said, if you don't give them water, don't give them food. They need to be able to wash out their nostrils when eating.

 

[Going Quackers]

er, you don't want to know. My one drake has a permanent limp and lost an eye due to a reach and grab through the dog run.. so yeah.. forget the chicken wire at least for night.. no they may not actually 'get' the duck but they'll inflict serious and/or fatal damage regardless.

I like that fencing that is what i need for my youngest pair as a 'playpen' the rest all free range but these ladies are to young to do that plus the flock is still sorting itself out right now... oops forgot about water, i still give all mine water.. youngest are 6-7wks and the oldest are 3.5mths+ but that is a personal choice, i bed on shavings.. clean it every morning and the youngest are in a dog crate so plastic easily cleaned floor the rest are in a trailer with a rubber horse/stall mat floor..

 

[Going Quackers]

Quote:
I was gonna say the same

it's has some serious physical abnormalities

 

[Oregon Blues]

I'm surprised that your ducks can fly out. I use that green plastic poultry net to keep my ducks and geese out of plants that I don't want eaten and nobody goes over it.

It won't stop any predators, but I'm sure you know your own area and what is out there to be guarded against.

That hutch has a wire bottom? Just put the waterer inside some sort of container that will keep the water from spreading all over. Then install a drain in the container so the water goes out the bottom of the hutch. You can run the water through a hose into a bucket if you don't want mud under the hutch.

They don't need water at night, but if you take the water away, also take the feed away. They need water when they eat.