Sand or no?

[Horsefly]

I am building a new duck house and can't decide if I should put sand in it. It is just for locking them up at night and they will be out during the day. It is 8x5 and will have a tin roof so it won't get wet. I was thinking sand would be easy to clean because I could just rake the droppings off each morning. If I don't do sand it will just be a dirt floor and I wouldn't really have a way to clean it. I plan on having 6 ducks and 2 geese in it eventually, right now I just have the ducks. I also am building an external feeder and a wire box for the waterer to be on so it doesn't make a mess. Do you think sand is a good idea? Any other ideas as to what I should add into the design.

 

[DuckLover2399]

Hey i have the same prob so i thought i would bump this so we can get our awnser lol!

 

[Horsefly]

Thanks, hopefully someone with sand will chime in if it is a good idea or not. I know it works good in chicken yards but with ducks being messier I don't know if it will work as well.

 

[Denninmi]

I think it would better than a plain dirt floor. I don't know why it wouldn't work, as long as you rake it and replace the sand as needed. Its going to take a lot of sand, I bet.

 

[mandelyn]

I opted for gravel instead of sand so that I can hose it off, for the outdoor run. Shavings inside. I was thinking about sand... but wet sand really sucks and I wasn't sure how wet they would get it. It was the same price for either or delivered, so I went with the gravel.

They have wet poo. So you would be scooping more out for cleaning. Not like chickens who 9 times out of 10 have a more solid poo.

The wire covered box idea is a life saver, that's the only reason I have have shavings in their house! Just dump the catch tote and the bedding stays dry. Sand should too... but the poo is so wet I'm not sure.

 

[BallardDuck]

I am just getting ready to build my duck house so I have been mining this site for info. Can you explain (or show a picture) of the "wire covered box" and "catch tote"? Sounds intriguing, but I don't really have a mental image of it. I'd really like to avoid as many mistakes as possible!
Thanks!

 

[jdywntr]

Hi. Don't know what others will say but I just have a dirt floor in mu duck run. I'm in Florida and so far (its been up for about 5-6 months) its pretty easy to manage. We have very sandy soil here but the area is over where I used to have raised garden beds so the soil is not strictly sand. It measures 15 x 10 ft and they are out during the day. I was thinking of putting down gravel because during the rainy part of the year it was sometimes a mucky mess but I also was not letting them out during the day. Mine is not covered except over a portion where I thought they would sleep they just sleep whereever. Since yours is covered, as long as your sand drains I think it would work. You can just scoop out and add more when needed. My chickens now go into the duck run during the day so the scratching really helps any damp spots dry.

I have no experience with geese. Good luck.

 

[DuckLover2399]

I think im not going to get sand all of you have good points but here in oklahoma we have RED dirt. So i think i will use like gravel or something.

 

[mandelyn]

Mine is like this...

But some people have them built into the floor to make it level, or some other design. However you can catch the most waste water before it hits the bedding.

The plastic tote is something like 1.5 ft x 2.? ft and I cut a wood frame to fit it from left over 2x10s. The rabbit wire I folded over the edges to prevent sharp points from being on the top, they're mostly pointed down and tapped flat with a hammer.

 

[Horsefly]

This house is located right next to my pond so there is no access to a hose or electricity. The structure is 3 feet tall in the front and 2 1/2 in the back with 2 access doors. I need to take a picture later and put it up so y'all can see what I am building. I already have the sand too, I just don't know if I should use it.