new duck pen - almost done but advice needed.

[ranchhand]

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So true!, but I thought it would work for kylee2katie because I didn't think she was going to cover it with a tarp.

I did get around that water collection problem by taking gray plastic conduit, attaching it to one side, bending it over the top and attaching to the other side. I think I used four for a 12' run. Then I secured the tarps over the top like a hoop house. The chain link roof keeps out raccoons and other predators and the tarp covered hoop provides shade. As an added bonus most of the heat collects at the top of the hoops.

Excellent idea! Thanks for posting it!

 

[CarolAnn]

~*Sweet Cheeks*~ :

I'm new to ducks in the last 3 wks. I started with a 12 x 12' dog kennel but desided it needed to be bigger for the 8 babies.

I took the 12' long by 6' tall kennel section I had on the top of the chicken run that I had a tarp over for sun shade and to keep them dry. The problem with putting a tarp over the top of a level kennel section is water and snow collected and weighted it down to the point I that it was going to fall.

The duck pen is now 12' X 24'. I used a cattle panel on the back side with a white tarp ziptied. Looks like a green house. Very light and bright.

I'm debating tarping the rest or bird netting. I plan to run hot wire along the base to keep preditors out.

I got my first tiny ducklings (just 7) 4 weeks ago. They're ducks in a secure coop in my wood shop until we have their place situated outside beside the chickens. So far I have a 10x10 ft chain link run, no covering yet. There's a tree in the run so we have to figure out how to cover it around the tree. Haven't worked out their housing for sure yet. We're getting an 8-9x12 shed form friends in town as soon as we can get in to move it. I want something I can go in to clean out. The shed could serve as a duck house and storage. Whatever we do we need to do fairly soon because these duckies are growing fast. Having their food and water in the (didn't used to seem so small) coop with them now is such a mess.

I was reading in a thread that their food and water can be outside the duck house because they don't need access to it at night when they're sleeping. These ducks can go thru a gallon water fount in a short time and then most of the bedding is soaked. My question is this - do they need access to feed and water over night, or will removing the feed only cut back on the amount of water they go thru during the night time hours. They have a light on 24x7 but I don't know if they're up playing in the water during that time. They need the light for warmth while it's still cool, especially at night. Right?

I'd sure like to see and hear how someone else (with duck experience) does it.​

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

The best suggestion for planting around it, assuming you want something decorative to disguise the kennel, are Cannas. The bulbs do have to be dug up in the winter time, and then replanted in the spring, but the plants are tall and BEAUTIFUL in the summer. We have Cannas all over our yard now and just planted some around our duck run. We plant the red ones and they grow to be about 5-6' tall.

Here's a link so you can see all the different types and styles they have. Easy as heck to grow too as long as they have enough sun!
http://www.google.com/search?um=1&h...i93DBw&ved=0CDkQvwUoAQ&q=canna+lilies&spell=1

 

[DurhamDuck]

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I agree about the concrete being hard on their feet. I would lift out the concrete in the center and give them sand. It's easy to clean and won't muddy up their pool.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

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I started letting my ducks (I had 3 ducklings and 2 goslings) go without water at night when they were 6&1/2 weeks old. Any younger and I'd be afraid they would get sick from drinking too much water in the morning to compensate. Make sure if they don't have water that they also don't have food...thats important. I also had a bunch of problems with their watering system always running out-they just love to play in the water until its gone- so I built a gravity feed system check out the last 2 pages of this thread... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=499460

I also put a waterer inside (at 10 weeks old) their coop once the gravity feed tower was up because it was relatively simple to add another line at this point and I wouldn't have to clean it out very much since they didn't also have food. Currently I have both feeders over a gravel bed or a grate so their yard/bedding doesn't get wet. This system works great and I couln't be happier with the lower maintenance.

As far as flooring goes for duck yards, I Have to agree that sandy gravel is about the only thing to have... the grass and floiage dies, the dirt gets muddy (and starts becoming pitted with holes thanks to damp mornings and crazy ducks) and any paved surface could get too hot, uncomfortable or painstaking to hose off (waste of water) on a regular basis. I'm getting more sand tomorrow... seems that I will spend at least a little time every month or so adding sand...I rake it every night into a poop free zen garden.