My new Ducks and their run

[MamaDchicks6]

Hi, I'm a newer Duck mama. I have two pekins and two khaki cambels that are 4 0r 5 months old now. Ive been working on their enclosure , housing, run and pond this summer and plan to complete an aqua ponics systeme for them next spring. I don't plan on running the pond this winter so I decided to wait till next spring to finalize the aquaponics set up. They are so cute but so much more messier then my chickens! their run is a mud pit ! I have rocks around their pond and we started with turf in the run but that is long gone. should we use straw on them play in the mud ?

 

[DucksOhio]

They look beautiful!
Yep ducks are pretty messy. Straw might help keep the mud down. Although I imagine they're foraging in it. Straw is also a nice insulator to keep them warm in cool weather.

 

[Amy Gabby]

I tried to send you a video of our enclosure but it was too big. This pic is of part of it. We use hay and it works great. The chickens aren't that messy but the ducks sure are. We just change out the hay every so often. Good luck.

 

[clyderiver77]

We had a 4x6 run attached to a 4x2 house and is mobile (well, it is supposed to be, but the wheels don't work great so I usually just push it. Every day I move it to keep it nice. I have no idea what I am going to do for winter! I only have 2 hybrid layer ducks 5 pounders or so.... what a mess if it rains or I don't move the house daily. We are trying to build a run in the woods in front of the house, but making it feel safe is proving difficult . Sorry I am not being all that helpful, but I feel your pain. lol

 

[gal5150]

I use industrial rubber chef mats over a good 3" of pea gravel....hoses off in seconds and drains through the gravel. Smell is minimal, ducks don't have to walk on poop, allows shoots of new grass/plants to poke through, and earthworms breed under it. I couldn't imagine having it any other way! Uber low maintenance.

 

[chickens really]

I would not use straw anywhere near wetness...It will rot quickly and smell worse than the Ducks...Gravel, sidewalk blocks or rubber mats .....