New to BYC

[kwack]

Hello All,

Our family is new to ducks and we're expecting Cayuga, Welsh Harlequin and Pekin eggs to be delivered today. It's going to be a long 28 days waiting for these guys.

We're putting the finishing touches on the house/pen plans but I wanted to get insider tips and warnings before building. Thus far the recommendations have run from 2-5sq.ft./duck indoors to
8-15 sq.ft/duck in the run. I'm going to shoot for the averages of
those and cover everything in PVC coated hardware cloth. What height
does the house need to be? We were thinking 3-3.5 ft. high. How about
the door height? We were going to elevate it so they'd have the extra space beneath in the run but I've heard some say their ducks won't use anything too high.

As for the house material, we have access to T&G cedar boards and were planning to use that but I read somewhere that cedar is toxic??? While others recommend cedar and pine shavings for bedding????

How do BYC members give their ducks access to swimming/bathing water
in Zone 6 winters? Indoors?

Thanks

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

from TN.
Cedar boards arent toxic. Cedar shavings (suposedly) well the fumes from them are toxic. I would recomend going with the high side on the sq ft. you have listed.

 

[rooster-red]

 

[mullers3acers]

 

[Irajoe]

from SC!!

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Welcome Kwack!
I'm in zone five. We have some nice days during the winter when I can get out the hose and fill up either a basin or a wading pool for them, but most days they just have their drinking/head-dunking water. Some people use the rubberized watering containers for livestock because they are easier to empty the ice out of. They say when it's really cold the ducks like to get in the water because it's warmer than the air temp, and they keep it from freezing solid on the surface.
As far as elevating the house, does that mean they will need to go up a ramp? cause ducks don't necessarily take to ramps like chickens do, not impossible but you would propably have to train them which might not be too easy. Keeping it on the ground provides better insulation during the really cold spells.
Ducks are really adaptable to an amazing variety of housing or lack thereof. They supposedly lay better if they are kept a little warmer. But as far as the height of the house, the factors to consider might be how easy it will be to clean (they get pretty messy), and how much air space for ventalition vs warmth.
I've heard the same thing about cedar, best to not try it. Another alternative is straw, nice for making compost too. Also some people use wood stove pellets with the shavings for better absorbancy.