Suburban Ducks - Tips For Minimal Mess

[modenda]

Hello everyone,

I am looking into getting a pair of Cayuga ducks to keep in my backyard. I currently keep quail but they are so small that their mess isn't an issue, I clean there coop once a week to every other week. My backyard is about 80 ft x 50 ft and I was wanting to keep them free ranged with a duck house to go into at night, and maybe a small run to have them in when I cant be home to put them up (my gf and I both work day jobs).

Lets compile the best tips and tricks, coop setups, bedding, pond set ups and whatever else!

 

[Bubblesduck]

80’ x 50’ fenced??? Grass? That’s plenty of room …but they MUST have a pool to play in and basically water needs to be changed every other day….i change every day in kiddie pool and have a small pond with filter…why don’t you get some call ducks? Black east indie ducks are also like miniature cayugas

 

[Bubblesduck]

If you only get two, get a male and a female…cayugas are beautiful…I had a few…but big like a Roune

 

[modenda]

80’ x 50’ fenced??? Grass? That’s plenty of room …but they MUST have a pool to play in and basically water needs to be changed every other day….i change every day in kiddie pool and have a small pond with filter…why don’t you get some call ducks? Black east indie ducks are also like miniature cayugas

Yes, 80’ x 50’ fenced, but also would like to keep it looking decently nice so gonna try and keep the amount of ducks low. Was thinking Cayugas because supposedly they are on the quieter side. Have neighbors right on the other side of the fence in all directions and would like to keep them friendly haha.

 

[Callender Girl]

I wish I could suggest some brilliant way to have both ducks and minimal mess.

I love my runner ducks -- they are beautiful, not too loud (especially the drakes who sound as if they are mumbling), highly entertaining with their goofy walk and easy to contain (since flight isn't one of their best abilities). BUT, their need for and love of water means I have to contend with lots and lots of mess, pretty much all the time.

Mine are loose in the yard during the day whenever I am home. At night, they are secured in a modified chicken tractor that is wrapped in hardware cloth, is partially walled and roofed and has some Menards rubber flooring under the water dish I leave inside all the time.

The dish inside their shelter is just a large dog bowl. Outside, they have a small stock tank and, in the warmer months, a baby pool. Both are small enough I can lift and empty out all the muck that they drop in when they dabble.

I have tried all kinds of bedding. including straw, pine shavings, a faux-grass rug -- anything I put into the shelter will get messy much faster and worse than in the chicken coops. Only the geese can make bigger messes faster. It's the one drawback to having ducks -- otherwise, they are absolutely wonderful.

 

[Jenbirdee]

the only way to save some of your grass is to keep ducks off it whenever it rains

 

[modenda]

the only way to save some of your grass is to keep ducks off it whenever it rains

That’s what I’m starting to gather. I think I’m leaning towards having a run big enough to keep them in unless I’m home supervising

 

[Bubblesduck]

Yes, 80’ x 50’ fenced, but also would like to keep it looking decently nice so gonna try and keep the amount of ducks low. Was thinking Cayugas because supposedly they are on the quieter side. Have neighbors right on the other side of the fence in all directions and would like to keep them friendly haha.

Ahh, call duck females can be loud…I had one pair and that hen basically never quacked full volume…but once I added a few more calls…then they started chattering sometimes and is it loud if you don’t like that kind of thing…I live in an area with lots of waterfowl so I doubt anyone would notice anything different since the Canada geese are always honking…but depending on your situation the cayugas would be quieter….i raised at least 4 or 6 over the years…very nice ducks….just make sure to hand raise…carry them with you as much as can…the more effort you put for the first 5 weeks, the closer they will be to you as pets

 

[Bubblesduck]

Oh, I did this in the past …since my yard is on a hill and I do construction related work…I bought simple kiddie pool (molded plastic)…drilled hole in bottom and attached 2” pvc flange…then buried drain pipe with a pvc ball valve…this way I can just turn the valve and gravity drain the pool every day…much easier