Safe Duck Housing?

[alandra_lee]

I'm new to keeping ducks, and just recently went in on an order with a friend. I ordered 2 Runners, 2 Khaki Campbell, and one Black Cayuga - all female. They should be arriving in a week.

In the meantime, we are scrambling to put together appropriate housing. In looking around the forums here, we like the idea of an enclosed duck kennel/run with pool and doghouse. I happen to have a large, unused Dogloo. Now I am looking at building this enclosure, but I admittedly have limited building experience. I would like to keep it relatively inexpensive (go figure), but I want it to be predator proof. A friend of mine who used to keep ducks in the area had trouble with minks, which has me worried.

Any thoughts/ideas? Any good plans available online or in books?

Thanks!

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

with minks, you'll need reinforced seams (boards screwed to both sides) and you'll want to use hardware cloth for all sides, top and bottom.

 

[FenDruadin]

I really like to use chain link dog kennels, obtained on craigslist. I just got a really good deal on one in particular, but it is not hard to find a 10 x 10 enclosure for under $150. I then add wire on top, secured with zip ties, and either wire underneath or I make sure it is good and flush with the ground--no gaps.

You can then, optionally, add hardware mesh around the bottom couple feet, to prevent anything reaching through the chain link and grabbing a sleeping duck. I have not done this yet and not yet had a problem, but I have learned that just because it hasn't happened *yet,* doesn't mean it won't happen. So I do plan to add the hardware mesh.

Anyway, this is easy for someone with limited building expertise (like me) to do, and not horribly expensive.

 

[Cetawin]

If there were known mink problems I would use hardwire cloth on top, sides and under and out about 2' to stop digging under. If you have the chain link, run hardwire cloth inside starting about 3 - 4 high, come down to ground level under the chain link and out away from the run about 2' and use landscpe staples, rocks, etc to hold it down (unless you bury it, so that nothing can dig and come in under the chain link fence. watch all of your wood seams....leave no gaps, double screw, in other words screw together from both sides.

Congrats on getting the ducklings..enjoy.

 

[alandra_lee]

Well, I don't know that there will be mink problems. My friend lives a bit further out in the country than I do. I'm more at the crossover point between suburban and country. I do know that there are raccoons and coyotes and likely foxes.

In the meantime, I'm so looking forward to getting the ducklings. From what I've read, they seem to be a lot of fun. How friendly do ducks tend to be when they've been raised by humans? Do they enjoy the company of people?

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Depends on the duck. Our mallards are terrified of us, but our pekin will come over and climb in our laps. The Swede is stand-offish, but will come and eat out of our hands, and the Khaki campbells won't even do that... and they were all raised together, same amount of attention...