My coop and pen just aren't working anymore. When I built them four years ago, things were all good, but it's been through leftover hurricane winds, ice storms, and predators. It also turns into one big river when it rains, and literally has a small channel with water flowing through it like a river. I have chickens and ducks: 4 Muscovies, 1 Magpie, and three Blue Swed Mixes. 1 BR roo and 1 Ancona roo 2 Silkie X EE mix hens 1 Red Sex Link Hen 1 Silkie mama with 5+ babies on the way 1 Barred Plymouth Rock and hopefully about 5 more ducklings to come. We have been wanting to move it to a different place for a long time, and I need to change up the design. Please show me some pics of your duck and chicken houses, but make sure they aren't giant pics because I have dial-up and its SO SLOW! I need to get some ideas, specifically on the floor. I've seen some pics of people with what appears to be wood shavings on the floor. What kind are they, and what are the advantages of them?
Just wanted to add that my coop has thick layer of hardwood shavings on the floor - which the hens kick up and keep dry - EXCEPT for the small footage between feeder and waterer because the ducks spill feed & water as they eat and go between the two feeders. I just posted a note asking for advice on how to keep the floor dry. Someone suggested for baby ducks to build a shallow wire box w/pan underneath and water on top so the spillage falls into the pan but I don't think that would work for adult ducks. Besides I couldn't lift the 3gal waterer if even l/2 full to empty the pan below. Rest of the henhouse floor is dry and I sprinkle Diatomacious earth here and there to help keep it dry and fight any bugs. Wish I could figure out how to keep those ducks from making such a watery mess. Wonder if I should keep them separate?
I have my duckhouse off the ground for the very reason's you sited. It's nothing fancy, just a shed that's off the ground. I'll get pictures for you later.
Here are some threads on that: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=241796&p=1 https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=55358 https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=230859