Post Pictures of your Duck Houses

[ThreeBoysChicks]

So I ordered 3 ducklings with my next order of Chickens. They are cayuga ducks. I would appreciate seeing anyone's housing accomodations for 3 ducks. I understand they don't need perches. Do they use nest boxes?

 

[nightshade]

My 8 ducks - 1 very large peking hen, 3 cayugas-2 hens 1 drake, 3 khakis drakes(I am trying to rehome) and 1 lovely mutt hen. All live in with my chickens. we have a large fenced in run attached to our coop. I put in an old clawfoot bath tub this fall to replace the duck's little rubbermaid pond. And landscaped around it with stone and evergreen trees for them. It looks nice and seems to work really well. The only thing that may be a problem that I have incountered with having them in the same housing. IS that that ducks can make it really wet really fast if you don't put alot of time into it. I use sawdust from a local mill to control the wetness and mud. It was suggested to me on here though that sand works best to help with the water problem.

Our peking (Farmduck) has a habit of trying to steal the chicken eggs and add them to her nest sometimes also.

They have there own little space in the hen house where they sleep. The ducks can get alittle pushy over food, usually treats also. But I have never had any really problems and they all have lived together about two years. They all seem to get along well also. Our big rooster is particularly fond of Farmduck which is alittle odd at times but what ya gonna do.?

Hope this helps if you have any questions about how we did anything to set it up for them just ask

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Hey Duck People - Need your input. I searched through BYC but did not see anything that was built specifically for ducks (3).

 

[okiechick57]

I have just separated my ducks from my chickens.I found a large shipping crate and cut a door out of one side..for their shelter.......... then just fenced it with heavy wire fence........I am planning on putting a camo net cover about 8ft high over it since one of my muscovies loves to fly around.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Anymore duck owner's out there - Would love to see pictures of your houses.

 

[Katy]

I have dog houses for them to use, but they rarely go in them. They prefer to stay out even when it's cold and nasty.

 

[StoneBridge Farm]

Threeboyschicks:

Hey I too looked everywhere for duck housing. As far as I can tell they just need similar chicken housing..only smaller. I believe some will nest in boxes others won't. As long as they have sort of a flight pen, I don't think it matters. I am new to duckies as well.

Katy,
I'm finding that out too. I have 2 very nice wood dog houses...one of the hens will go in and out during the day... however, no matter what the weather..there they are standing outside snoozing away.

SBF

 

[professor_yellow]

This winter I have kept my ducks in the greenhouse which is 8 by 15 feet, it is divided in 2 by straw bales, One half has my 9 egg ducks and the other has 13 pekins which will be butcherd and of this month.

I have almost finished the duck house for the egg layers. The overall dimensions are 4 by 6 feet. I used 2 by 6 for the floor joists and 2x4's for the walls. The roof is 6x8 feet to provide overhang. I took 2x4s and ripped them down the middle for the roof joists. The skin is all half inch plywood I bought surplus. Lastly, the wall panels were bolted down with 1/4x4 inch lag bols and screws so if i want to mmove it or sell it, i can break it down easily and quickly. All in all I spent very little as it was all surplus aquired off of craigslist.

The floor space is ample for the 9 ducks and soon 10. I have decided to seperate the Rouens, and the White Golden egg layers, and take the best male Pekin and add him to the White goldens to cross for abundant fertile meat duck eggs. there will be a simple divider down the middle. I use wood grape boxes for nesting and they like it and it really keeps the eggs a lot cleaner.

Each side will have their own run that is 4 x 12 feet. Each will have their own kiddy pool for bathing. I have some preliminary pics but do not know how to load. Email of pm me and i will send you some.

I use wood chips from tree services for the outside surfaces so there is no mud, and the inside has hay which i sweep up at the local feed store. i like the timothey hay since it smells sweet, the ducks like to forage through it and it does not stain the feathers. Also it gets very hot in the compost pile, but most of all it is FREE. This spring I will role up the well-pooped on hay underneath the planting beds and add 10 inches of topsoil, so the bottom and roots will be nice and heated this March.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

professor yellow - What is a grape box?

 

[showme31]

Here's a pic of my duck house. It currently houses 13 ducks. We built it to be portable. It is on skids so that during the warmer months we can move it by the pond and during the months when the pond is froze over it can be up by the house. It has to be moved with hubby's tractor.

We designed it for easy cleaning, both sides are on hinges as you can see in pic. All I have to do is scrape out with a garden hoe and sprayer on the hose.

I do have a "nesting" box in there. I just took a plastic tote from walmart and cut out a hole in the front. I put in a fake egg and those girls just made themselves right at home.

I did have to condition them to going into it. It wasn't all that hard. I just gave them some of their fave treats in there and after awhile they would go in and wait for me at dusk. I still occasionally give them their treats in there as a reinforcer.

Smiles
Jul