Revised indoor duck pen plans.... PICS

[nettie]

We seal up the bottom pieces of the pen and the sides, and we also put down linoleum flooring. We also use pellet bedding and a product called Sweet PDZ. The bedding works well and we shovel often. The most congested areas around food/water need to be shoveled more often than other spots, while some can go longer just being freshened up a little. We have two air purifiers in their room (we have several all over our house, including special filters for our forced air heat/ac, to keep our whole house nice.)

Keeping any bird is a chore and can be extremely messy, but if you knew my ducks, you'd know how worth while it is. My ducks are sweethearts and very loving pets. They love their current house (they always do, after they get used to it), but I'm sure they will love their new house better.

We're also getting them a doorbell so we can train them to come out of the pen for bath time or walks etc when they hear the bell ding. lol

Our set ups have consistently gotten better and easier to clean. When I first started my venture, the pen was cool, but a horrible mess in and out of the pen. Each time I make a new pen I think of things I wish I had done differently, so I am hoping this time I have encompassed all of them.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Quote:
YES I love my avatar! I have to unconventional. I love lolcats and all the crazy captions, I stoled this one from a friend of mine on there who made it a long time ago

I may change it soon to another one I like!


Nettie, yes I figured air purifiers have to be a big staple with keeping indoor ducks.
I don't understand people's dislike of someone else keeping ducks or chickens indoors because at one point in history cats and dogs always stayed outside until someone started bringing them indoors and making them house pets.

not much difference in my opinnion. My daughter just has allergies and I'm afraid she'd wind up being allergic to duck dander or something, and I don't have the space or time to devote to the cleaning I can only imagine is involved.

You know you have got to share the new place as soon as its done! I can't wait to see the real deal!

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
YES I love my avatar! I have to unconventional. I love lolcats and all the crazy captions, I stoled this one from a friend of mine on there who made it a long time ago

I may change it soon to another one I like!

Hah Well you should send me the pick just have when I need a laugh, it never gets old, I laugh everytime I see it.

 

[nettie]

I got my first estimate, which was OUTRAGEOUS! they wanted $4500 just for labor... no way!!! I can do the pen myself for probably about $1000 and it would take a long time.... The place didn't give me a break down though, so I think they were fishing for a high number...

I still have about 5 other companies to hear from. Some are pretty small compared to the first, so hopefully they need work and will do it for less. We have about $2500 set aside for the project, and are hoping to get it done for less... Talk about spoiled ducks huh?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Nettie, thats crazy!

I don't know if its because of your location or what, but your plan doesn't look exceptionally extravagantly difficult, kind of like a complicated chicken coop...How in the devil do they get 4500!?

Well anyway - good luck on the other guys and let them know you're shopping around looking for the best price, maybe that will get them a bit more competitive, worth a shot if you already haven't mentioned it to them.

Spoiled ducks? Noooooo they are just loved beyond belief

Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[nettie]

I guess living in downtown chicago, they just expect everyone to be made of money... lol....

I've heard from some other places that charge by the hour, per person... so it's $85 per handyman per hour. Still have to get an estimate as to how many hours they think this will take. Of oucrse that doesn't include supplies... ugh...

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Shhhh! Don't tell my ducks about that wonderful plan!
They already complain that they don't have AC down in their coop. Or a pool to float in all night or a real pond instead of a kiddie pool and numerous other things they think they should complain about.

I felt so bad when I locked them in their coop last night as it was 82 humid degrees at 10 pm. They were so hot even with several containers of ice water and it is an open air coop. And Kia has gotten just as loud as Rowena!

Beautiful plans and I just can't wait to see it finished!

 

[nettie]

Good news so far- I got a call back from a contractor who actually has built pet enclosures before. He has ferrets. His quote was MUCH better too, $1500 for the labor... That's more like what we were planning. I figure it's gonna be around $500-1000 for materials depending on what we go with. He also had good ideas for making the pen a little bigger and easier to take apart when we move. He also had good ideas for making it easier to clean. I'm looking forward to his call tomorrow after he's had some time to look up some materials for me. Now I am getting excited!

 

[nettie]

Quote:
You should see my stinkers when it's hot/cold outside and we let them in the backyard or go for a walk.... If they don't like the temperature, they'll turn tail and march right back inside and sit under a vent blasting either a/c or heat. lol. (they did this a lot when I lived in AL, when it would hit the upper 90's often).

 

[Bossroo]

So , how much for the pet deposit ??? Our son and his wife and 2 kids ( 3 1/2, 3 months) are having a hard time finding a rental home because they have a 10 year old, that hardly ever barks, and totally housebrocken chihuahua... even if one is allowed to have a pet in a rental house ( much less an apartment) the pet deposit is $600+ (per each pet) and it's NON REFUNDABLE, plus an extra $25-$50 per pet per month on top of one's monthly rent even for a chihuahua or a cat or what have you !