Please Help me! Muddy mess!

[Jessica_1285]

I've only had duck for 2 years, I absolutly love them but the enclosure is giving me nightmares! What a muddy smelly mess the run is 20 by 20 and there is no way grass is ever gonna grow back. what can i do? I want an attractive enclosure but I cant move it around to new areas of grass all the time. unfortunately my ducks only get to free range a couple times a week so I've been reluctant to add flooring in the run but something needs to be done! Please tell me if its safe for ducks to spend most or their time on gravel (this is the only idea I have)

 

[DuckLover179]

I use stall mats from the feed store. I just rinse them off, and it's clean.
Here's a pic of it (It's safe for their feet, they don't slip, and It's SO easy to clean!)

Hope that helps!

 

[Jessica_1285]

Quote:
hey thats a cool idea! thanks

 

[FenDruadin]

You can also build water porches--raised wire platforms for the bathing water--which will help reduce the mud problem. Then bed the remainder in hay, just tossing more hay on top each time it starts to get mucky. You'll have to clean the hay out a couple times a month or so, but it's easy to maintain and looks clean and fresh. The lower layers of bedding will gradually decompose without odor (though you may have bugs living in the bedding--a sprinkling of DE can help with that).

Good luck! Ducks can sure be messy.

 

[Amiga]

The duck pen has pea gravel under the swim pans, and a mix of leaves and straw and sawdust in the rest. I rake over and turn some areas regularly, to improve the composting, and that brings up bugs which the ducks enjoy.

I need to get a little DE into a couple of areas which are just now beginning to be used by some tiny fly-like insects as the weather warms. Probably will sprinkle a little while the ducks are elsewhere, then toss some fresh straw on top.

I also have a little channel that directs used duck water from their pen down to the grape arbor, so the grapes get watered and fertilized regularly.

 

[Lamar Estate]

These ideas are awesome!

If you haven't already done so, please posts pictures!

 

[bella_spinone]

I am looking at flooring options. Stall mats sound interesting.