Please help with our duck house!!

[JulieBeth07]

Our chicken coop has arrived.. and now we're working on retrofitting this chicken tractor into a duck house. Someone was getting rid of it and we picked it up in case our big coop wasn't here in time for the girls to move. Then we decided to do ducks. We were planning on housing them all together and decided against it. Then we were going to let them share a run (the ducks and chicks) but we decided against that too.
So we need ideas. The floor was supposed to be completely open with only a concrete footer to rest the house on but it wasn't poured properly. We're putting a metal roof to cover the top.. and thinking of partially closing the sides in. Thinking of putting in pea gravel (?) Or sand for where the floor is open to keep water trouble down.. and straw for bedding? Trying to find some ideas for cleaner waters (like the drums with holes) they will also have an outside area to swim and play... it will just be seperate from the chicks.

We need ideas... please help!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I think you've got the right idea!
Pea gravel or sand either one would be fine. Ducks are pretty cold hardy but will appreciate a place to get out of the wind. Adding a partial wall would be good. Or you could use a dog house or build a little house or hut of some sort inside the run to place bedding in.

 

[chickens really]

How many Ducks and what breed? A dog house works for a couple of Ducks if bigger breeds?
Sand works great. Pine shavings in the house. Keeping the pool out of the pen is best for when let out daily. Ducks create lots of poop and water mess if access is allowed in the pen. Flies and stink really become a problem.

 

[JulieBeth07]

I think you've got the right idea!
Pea gravel or sand either one would be fine. Ducks are pretty cold hardy but will appreciate a place to get out of the wind. Adding a partial wall would be good. Or you could use a dog house or build a little house or hut of some sort inside the run to place bedding in.

Thanks for you input! I'm having anxiety for my poor birds if I dont completely cover the concrete will their poor little feet be ok?

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for you input! I'm having anxiety for my poor birds if I dont completely cover the concrete will their poor little feet be ok?

You could use rubber horse stall mats for the concrete.

 

[chickens really]

They will be fine on that small amount of concrete. Just hose it off.

 

[Khaki mama]

I don't know about chickens but ducks number one flooring is grass and number two is pea gravel. I guess sand would work too but if the pea gravel got dirty you could hose it down, but sand you would have to rake it in.

 

[JulieBeth07]

How many Ducks and what breed? A dog house works for a couple of Ducks if bigger breeds?
Sand works great. Pine shavings in the house. Keeping the pool out of the pen is best for when let out daily. Ducks create lots of poop and water mess if access is allowed in the pen. Flies and stink really become a problem.

We have 2 pekins at the moment and we're having 3 buffs shipped the 1st week of June. For the love of poop and flies! The stink is real they're on my porch in a brooder and every time I open my sliding door here come the flies

I'm thinking of making them a pool area in their run outside. I'm also trying to get some ideas of feeders and waterers for in the coop.

 

[JulieBeth07]

I don't know about chickens but ducks number one flooring is grass and number two is pea gravel. I guess sand would work too but if the pea gravel got dirty you could hose it down, but sand you would have to rake it in.

I'm liking the pea gravel idea

 

[JulieBeth07]

I'm liking the pea gravel idea

They'll have grass in their outside area... or should I leave the cutout a grassy area?