New Home for the Adventure Ducks

[melissamerry]

It looks like the Adventure Ducks are moving on to bigger and better things...like moving outside!
It's like they're real ducks or something.

So our lease in out tiny apartment is up in a month and I finally found someone who would CONSIDER renting to
someone with ducks. What an exhausting task. I've bombarded her with cute pictures like this and lots of promises of eggs to seal the deal.



If all works out, and we get this new place, and it comes with a yard. A real yard. Not a dinky patio.
The boyfriend says the ducks are going outside this time since we will have the means and place to put them there.

I'm such a worry wort about their safety and I can't think of any safer way than keeping them inside at night. I've read
all the horror stories on here and it frightens me.

So after much bartering, the verdict was that the ducks go outside, but I get a dog to help keep them safe and a super coop
complete lasers and the lastest hight tech bank vault security system.

The latter might be harder than expected, so I think a normal coop will have to work. Here's where I need YOUR help.
I've spent hours looking at chicken and duck coops and reading everyone's testimonials. But I still have a few questions and I
trust the duck world on here much more than the rest of the internet world.

1. Our location is very urban. Predators here are dogs, cats, hawks, raccoons, and those sorts of feral things. No wolves or bears. So
I need a design that can't be breached from above, below, or through it. I've noticed most designs are made of wood. Is there a reason why metal
sheets are not used? I've heard about dogs and larger animals tearing through wooden walls.

I love this idea for the digging under problem. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bluegrass-coop
Any objections or advice for better ideas?

2. I've noticed a lot of people use hardware cloth for windows for ventilation. Are raccoon's paws small enough to fit through?
Is there a better material to use for safe ventilation.

We're still planning the size and shape of coop, but I'm convinced that tall, upright ones are easier to clean because one can stand up
in it. Yes? No?

And depending on the size of the yard, we will decide if a run is necessary. The ducks are so spoiled and have always roamed where they
wanted. Plus the dog will help with security if I do plan to free range.

A new routine is going to be difficult to break in, but I'm excited nonetheless. And scared.
Much advice and help is truly appreciated!

 

[jonhpdx]

1. I think metal sheets aren't used because they tend to me more expensive than plywood. As for you mentioning that dogs and larger animals can tear through wood, I don't necessarily think that domestic dogs and the smaller animals you mentioned having around (raccoons, cats) that you're going to have a problem. You yourself said that there aren't any bears or wolves around (thank god), so I think plywood suffices. As for the digging under problem, the link you provided basically is the optimal situation. My duck coop I have chicken wire buried 6 inches deep in the ground, although I didn't go about it the same way the person in that link did. In any case, yes you want to have some sort of protection for digging predators. I would think a dog or raccoon would be more likely to try and dig under than chew through plywood.

2. I used hardware cloth to reinforce the bottom four feet of the coop. Hardware cloth is expensive so to cut costs you really don't need to have it everywhere, unless your ducks will somehow be 4 feet off the ground where a predator's paw could reach through and grab them. Keep in mind there are different sizes of hardware cloth. For the bottom of the coop where the ducks could be sleeping I reinforced it with 1/4 inch hardware cloth. My pinky can't even fit through the openings, I think something like a raccoon would *hopefully* have similar problems.

Another thing that you're going to have to consider is flooring for the ducks. You probably have a system already in place at your old place, but if you have the time/money/strength, I would recommend you check out some of the unique drainage options that people have posted. I personally laid down landscaping fabric then 2 inches of pea gravel, followed by another layer of landscaping fabric then 2 inches of sand. The sand really helps things because it absorbs moisture and allows you to pick up the big clumps of poop like you would out of kitty litter. Takes like 2 mins. max every day to clean the entire coop.

I answered a few questions about security in my duck coop thread yesterday and also posted some pics, you should check it out for more info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/767818/duck-coop-renovation-pictures

You have adorable ducks! I wish I could find white mallards--where did you get them?

 

[Amiga]

Oh, gosh, I know the feeling. We first brought ours into the walkout basement due to not being able to keep the outdoor house warm enough in winter. We keep them there at night now since it's easier on us when there are feet of snow outside, and less risk of predator troubles.

I have two strands of equine tape electric fence around the night shelter, and that did send a couple of raccoons screeching away from the pen. The quarter inch metal hardware cloth is good, but it seems to be a thinner wire.

Our ground had so many thick roots and stones, that I needed an alternative to the perimeter trench. Found it. I placed coated chain link across the bottom of the pen, sandwiched around the edges between two 1"x6" boards. Upright boards are attached to the perimeter boards, not driven into the ground. The uprights also have horizontal boards across the top. The pen is actually a large wooden framed, fenced box. 16'x10'.

If you are blessed with nice loamy soil and few stones, it would make sense to drive some posts for the pen. But if for any reason you have a hard time with that, consider the giant box approach.

 

[Going Quackers]

wood is best because it's natural and breathes. Old barns are wood for a reason! Now you can use some of that new finagled siding, i have some for my chicken coop... regardless you want good venting so plastics and metal sheds are best avoided as they don't do that well even with windows/vents.

Dogs tearing through walls? it would have to be a weak wall .. i have bears, cougar, wolves/coyotes, coons, skunks, foxes, hawks you get the picture, the duck barn is wood, plywood with old barn board siding.

You ensure there are no gaps, and the floor is closed/solid or wired if your one of those super warm places. Yes, hardware cloth is fine, it's what backs the windows of all my coops/barns, it's washer and screwed... it's the smaller squares not the larger variety, you'll find it'll come in differing sizes.

I don't worry about digging under because my duck barn is set on solid wood skids, the creature would need a saw to get through, perhaps a beaver would do lol now runs you have to worry about digging under, that said i find night is the worst, so none of my poultry are out but then i free range the ducks and the chickens are in a dog run.. well sunk into the ground and i have rocks around the parameter.

I do think coops you can stand in to be best but that is just that an opinion lol Both of mine i can stand in, but depends on the bird size, your spacing and which you prefer, at the very least ensure you can easily clean it, remember you will be doing that a lot so it'll wear on your nerves if you cannot easily enough. I have big ducks (Muscovy) so my is literally a mini barn but i have 14 right now and that occupies a fair bit of space.

 

[melissamerry]

Thank you all for your wonderful advice!

Johnpdx- I checked out your thread and I really like the water box idea! I'm still a bit confused on how you clean that part. You lift the whole box out and there's a hole below it? Or you clean out the box? I also really liked the your flooring idea as well. I might just give sand a try. I have no idea how I ended up with White Mallards. They were the only ducklings at the feed store and the man there said they were Pekins. I had no idea White Mallards were even a thing.

Amiga- I will definitely consider driving posts into the ground. I have no idea what kind of soil we will have yet. I haven't even seen the place yet. Fingers crossed for viewing it this week and it working out!

Going Quackers- So wooden coops don't rot from weather exposure? I don't think I'll need one as big as yours...14 is quite some number. I only have three small ones! But I do want to make sure its easy to clean. What kind of bedding do you use?

 

[melissamerry]

I was walking around Home Depot and I saw some air vents. Would those be alright for ventilation instead of hardware cloth? My thought was that air can go in while sharp claws cannot?
And has anyone used linoleum before for flooring?

 

[Amiga]

I was walking around Home Depot and I saw some air vents. Would those be alright for ventilation instead of hardware cloth? My thought was that air can go in while sharp claws cannot?
And has anyone used linoleum before for flooring?

Think like a hungry raccoon. Could something like that tear the vents open? If they are flimsy, don't do it.

I used sheet vinyl (modern linoleum) for flooring. Works great. Go up the walls at least ten inches, then attach it by screwing a 1"x3" furring strip over it to keep poop and bedding from going down under the linoleum.

I got mine free from a flooring company, it was scrap.

 

[melissamerry]

Think like a hungry raccoon. Could something like that tear the vents open? If they are flimsy, don't do it.

I used sheet vinyl (modern linoleum) for flooring. Works great. Go up the walls at least ten inches, then attach it by screwing a 1"x3" furring strip over it to keep poop and bedding from going down under the linoleum.

I got mine free from a flooring company, it was scrap.

I saw some metal ones. I might purchase one and tests it's limits. My boyfriend almost has his heart set on using them, but I need to be sure first.

What kind of bedding do you use on top of the vinyl? I'm assuming it's easy to hose?/sweep? out?

 

[Amiga]

I put about a foot of pine shavings on top of the linoleum. Daily, I picked up poops and put them on the garden beds, then stirred the bedding, and I had to change the shavings once or twice a year. The floor is easily swept or mopped. This is the outdoor, warm-season house.

In the basement, I only keep about four inches of bedding down, but do the same thing. Takes 15 minutes a day. Then once a week or so, I either replace all the bedding, or half the bedding, because for some reason with less depth, we get an ammonia smell, so I change it out at the first faint whiff of ammonia. Sometimes we can go a couple of weeks. It takes an hour or less to do the whole cleanout.

 

[Going Quackers]

Going Quackers- So wooden coops don't rot from weather exposure? I don't think I'll need one as big as yours...14 is quite some number. I only have three small ones! But I do want to make sure its easy to clean. What kind of bedding do you use?

In many years, but with proper maintenance they last a long, long time that is why there are barns that are 50-100yrs old. Wood breathes and provides probably the best housing for livestock. My horses barn is modern but still wood just for this very reason.

Your 3 are so wee... their calls right? i want some of those lol they'd probably be equal to 1-2 of my scovie ducks. For my bedding i use a combo of shavings and wood pellet bedding.. honestly, with only 3 if you pick clean daily and then do major cleans outs now & again you won't go through much bedding. Some use sand, i am waffling on the concept.. sounds interesting... i worry about it being cold though.

Funny enough 14 is low for me, i had more last year but trimmed back... i have two buff ducks coming soon too.. i didn't expect a nest this year, that was not "supposed" to happen but i had a determined broody in winter...

I was walking around Home Depot and I saw some air vents. Would those be alright for ventilation instead of hardware cloth? My thought was that air can go in while sharp claws cannot?
And has anyone used linoleum before for flooring?

I have wood floors so i painted them and threw down rubber stall mats like you use with horses. Depends on the air vent... i do have one on my chicken coops door but it's very small, even has screening, you have to be cautious as predators look for every opportunity to enter the building. Always think in a destructive manner, because that is how predators do.