Hi all,
I've got three 6 week old ducks, so they're still eating and pooping alot. I think I have a problem with my coop/ark as it has a sweet/sour smell and attracts insects. Now I know it's gonna stink and have bugs but...... should I be concerned?
It's 3 feet wide, 9 feet long with a sleeping area in the rear. You can see from the pics. It rests on a 4 inch deep bed of gravel. It is all covered with 2 layers of 1/2inch chicken wire. We have fox, badger, marten, weasels, cats, dogs, .....
I put dry straw on the floor and rake it out every few days as well as hose it all down. The problem is the poop and feed don't seem to wash out well. And it's impossible to get 100% of the straw out with the wire there.
We have a very wet climate, about triple the rainfall of the central/eastern US cept Florida maybe? Mild winters temp wise but good amount of snow. Also the ducks go out 2-3 times per day weather permitting.
Options:
1. Raise it up on blocks and put dirt/mulch under the coop to absorb stuff, change it out as needed.
2. Put raised plywood floor on all areas, cover with straw.
3. Build a real coop with full fencing and netting all round.
4. Please feel free to criticize my setup, I want what's best for my ducks.
Thanks for reading this.
When it rains I can cover the front, or leave it open to clean the floor.
The floor as clean as it gets sometimes(this is then covered in dry straw)
The night area raked and hosed, This gets covered in straw, by morning its a poop fest.
Konichiwa!
I've got three 6 week old ducks, so they're still eating and pooping alot. I think I have a problem with my coop/ark as it has a sweet/sour smell and attracts insects. Now I know it's gonna stink and have bugs but...... should I be concerned?
It's 3 feet wide, 9 feet long with a sleeping area in the rear. You can see from the pics. It rests on a 4 inch deep bed of gravel. It is all covered with 2 layers of 1/2inch chicken wire. We have fox, badger, marten, weasels, cats, dogs, .....
I put dry straw on the floor and rake it out every few days as well as hose it all down. The problem is the poop and feed don't seem to wash out well. And it's impossible to get 100% of the straw out with the wire there.
We have a very wet climate, about triple the rainfall of the central/eastern US cept Florida maybe? Mild winters temp wise but good amount of snow. Also the ducks go out 2-3 times per day weather permitting.
Options:
1. Raise it up on blocks and put dirt/mulch under the coop to absorb stuff, change it out as needed.
2. Put raised plywood floor on all areas, cover with straw.
3. Build a real coop with full fencing and netting all round.
4. Please feel free to criticize my setup, I want what's best for my ducks.
Thanks for reading this.
When it rains I can cover the front, or leave it open to clean the floor.
The floor as clean as it gets sometimes(this is then covered in dry straw)
The night area raked and hosed, This gets covered in straw, by morning its a poop fest.
Konichiwa!