Show me your duck coops! Update: also looking for duckling brooders

[saltandpepper2]

If fifty-year-old wood, pit liner, and tarps are cute, my coops are awful spiffy, too. Yeah, that should work. IF the ducks decide to actually go into it. It is a constant battle here, trying to get a dozen ducks into their coop every night. We have had completely free range ducks here before year round, and they do just fine. They typically do not mind the elements, just predators.

Haha, ok, awesome. I don't have any issues with predators except for the odd bear. Reason being that I have three dogs all over 100 lbs that guard the property, even the bears are wary of coming on the property. So far, in my years of having chickens, I've lost one bird to predators (to a bear, actually) and thats because she decided to roost in the middle of the woods, a decent distance from the chicken coops. My chickens are free range too, they just like the coops! I've heard that that's not the same with ducks though... we shall see! lol. Thanks for the help. Maybe in February, I'll post some pics of my set up

 

[CJreef]

If fifty-year-old wood, pit liner, and tarps are cute, my coops are awful spiffy, too. Yeah, that should work. IF the ducks decide to actually go into it. It is a constant battle here, trying to get a dozen ducks into their coop every night. We have had completely free range ducks here before year round, and they do just fine. They typically do not mind the elements, just predators.

Just how do you get the ducks into their coop? We have two ponds, one shallow one from the spring house to the dam about 30'x 40' irregular and the second which was a pool and now is a pond. It's 50' x 30', 3' deep at the low end to 7" at the deep end. We have a floating duck house in the middle of the "pool" but no one seems interested. We had a pair of production Rouens and lost the duck a few nights ago to a predator. We thought for sure the floating duck house would do the trick; obviously not. we would be very willing to purchase a coop but how do we get the ducks to go in at night? Would they even be interested? Our friend brought us two hens to replace the lost one and they won't even look at the house. All three perch on it but won't go in.

It's a shame, we have a very secure bank barn and we have one of the stalls fixed up as a coop for the chickens but its almost 400' from the ponds and the chickens will not let the ducks near them. The hens are actually quite mean to the ducks. Also, the chickens automatically go into the barn and up their roosts at sun down every night. We'd gladly fix another stall for the ducks but they haven't ventured past the farm house which is half way between the barn and the ponds. Don't know how we'd get them to go in anyway.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[StBob]

If you are young enough you have to worry what your Mom thinks then definitely best not to say anything about where you live, If, however, you are over 21 and still worried what your Mom thinks then maybe you need to talk to someone!

 

[Ducksforlife]

Here's mine it's kinda bad but we might add something on too it too make it bigger

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And here's the new ducks

 

[DysPatter]

Alright Y'all, I am posting.
If a young'n says they ain't gonna give you their location: RESPECT AND ENCOURAGE THAT!
Even if said young'n points to their parental units as the reason for withholding said information. Not only are they being safe, minding their parents, and doing the right thing: Chicken Forum Or Not: this IS the Internet.
To the young'ns: GOOD JOB!
If you do feel the need to reply, a Temperate Zone (T-x) would answer the questions adequately.

 

[CJreef]

Here is our new duck house. It was bought as a dog house, then I drilled some quarter sized holes near the roof for ventilation and made a door for it. The door is hinged at the bottom to allow for a deep litter floor. The floor is removable and I also added a piece of linoleum to protect the wood. The roof is hinged and snaps to stay open if wanted. I added hasps on the door and the roof and will use small padlocks to keep raccoon and foxes out. It seems like the perfect set up to me, don't know if the ducks will agree. They still won't let me pet them so I don't know how I will get them to go in it at night.
I haven't pressed the issue now as I think it might get too hot during the summer. Anybody keep their ducks in a small dog house during summer nights?



Suggestions are welcome.

 

[Free Feather]

Here is our new duck house. It was bought as a dog house, then I drilled some quarter sized holes near the roof for ventilation and made a door for it. The door is hinged at the bottom to allow for a deep litter floor. The floor is removable and I also added a piece of linoleum to protect the wood. The roof is hinged and snaps to stay open if wanted. I added hasps on the door and the roof and will use small padlocks to keep raccoon and foxes out. It seems like the perfect set up to me, don't know if the ducks will agree. They still won't let me pet them so I don't know how I will get them to go in it at night.
I haven't pressed the issue now as I think it might get too hot during the summer. Anybody keep their ducks in a small dog house during summer nights?



Suggestions are welcome.

If you do not think they will be eaten sleeping in the yard, I would just let them sleep outside while it is hot. They are easily over heated, and they prefer to sleep outside anyway.

 

[room onthebroom]

Just how do you get the ducks into their coop? We have two ponds, one shallow one from the spring house to the dam about 30'x 40' irregular and the second which was a pool and now is a pond. It's 50' x 30', 3' deep at the low end to 7" at the deep end. We have a floating duck house in the middle of the "pool" but no one seems interested. We had a pair of production Rouens and lost the duck a few nights ago to a predator. We thought for sure the floating duck house would do the trick; obviously not. we would be very willing to purchase a coop but how do we get the ducks to go in at night? Would they even be interested? Our friend brought us two hens to replace the lost one and they won't even look at the house. All three perch on it but won't go in.

It's a shame, we have a very secure bank barn and we have one of the stalls fixed up as a coop for the chickens but its almost 400' from the ponds and the chickens will not let the ducks near them. The hens are actually quite mean to the ducks. Also, the chickens automatically go into the barn and up their roosts at sun down every night. We'd gladly fix another stall for the ducks but they haven't ventured past the farm house which is half way between the barn and the ponds. Don't know how we'd get them to go in anyway.

Thanks for any feedback.

I love your floating duck house! That is the coolest idea & I cant believe they aren't interested in it! We only have one duck (a Swedish Blue) that's about four months old. Her best friend Is a full grown Brahma & the two never leave the others side. They sleep in the same coop, but the duck puts herself to bed a little later than the chicken does. She doesn't want to go to bed too early but she doesn't want to leave her chicken either, so she stands outside the coop for a while & eventually goes in. Last week we let the new generation of pullets out into the yard to free range during the day with the big girls. They're only about 10-12 weeks old, which is younger than we've ever let babies co-mingle before, but things are going surprisingly well so far. Its funny how everybodys birds are so different. I love reading all the stories & especially seeing the pictures.

 

[Free Feather]

I love your floating duck house! That is the coolest idea & I cant believe they aren't interested in it! We only have one duck (a Swedish Blue) that's about four months old. Her best friend Is a full grown Brahma & the two never leave the others side. They sleep in the same coop, but the duck puts herself to bed a little later than the chicken does. She doesn't want to go to bed too early but she doesn't want to leave her chicken either, so she stands outside the coop for a while & eventually goes in. Last week we let the new generation of pullets out into the yard to free range during the day with the big girls. They're only about 10-12 weeks old, which is younger than we've ever let babies co-mingle before, but things are going surprisingly well so far. Its funny how everybodys birds are so different. I love reading all the stories & especially seeing the pictures.

I have noticed that waterfowl go to bed later and wake up earlier than chickens. I think it is because they are a bit less vulnerable to predators, and they see better.

 

[CJreef]

I have noticed that waterfowl go to bed later and wake up earlier than chickens. I think it is because they are a bit less vulnerable to predators, and they see better.

We have a guinea hen which also goes to bed later than the chickens.