Time In The Coop

[Kangasox]

If you put your ducks to "bed" in the coop at night, what time do you do it, and how long are they up for? I was trying to put them to bed after the kids,around 8.30pm or so, and they are out about 7.30am. But the past couple nights, they have been lined up by the duck door quacking by 7 or so. Does it matter how long they are "cooped up"? I was trying to let them have fresh air, haha!

 

[Amiga]

I use a combination system. Sometimes the Runners tell me when they are going in, sometimes I tell them.

We have a fairly spacious night pen in our walkout basement because here, the winters can get brutally cold and the snow gets deep and I love not having to shovel snow to get to them, and I love not having to worry about if they are warm enough.

I know it cannot work for everyone - the point I was trying to make before I got off track a little is, that if the shelter is well ventilated, the bedding decent, and especially if there is a setup with food and water that keeps it from getting icky (it can be done), then having them in for more than eight hours is no big problem.

This winter the ducks were in for sometimes 23 hours a day, some days. But they have over 100 square feet for the thirteen of them.

So, I suppose what I need to ask is, how many ducks, which breed, how large is their shelter, can they have food with water in there?

If they want to go in, I would let them in. I also don't let my ducks out real early, as they sometimes are not done laying till after 9 a.m. But days that I must must must get out of here earlier, I let them out and get them settled in and expect to find an egg or two in the day pen.

 

[Kangasox]

I use a combination system.  Sometimes the Runners tell me when they are going in, sometimes I tell them.

We have a fairly spacious night pen in our walkout basement because here, the winters can get brutally cold and the snow gets deep and I love not having to shovel snow to get to them, and I love not having to worry about if they are warm enough.

I know it cannot work for everyone - the point I was trying to make before I got off track a little is, that if the shelter is well ventilated, the bedding decent, and especially if there is a setup with food and water that keeps it from getting icky (it can be done), then having them in for more than eight hours is no big problem.

This winter the ducks were in for sometimes 23 hours a day, some days.  But they have over 100 square feet for the thirteen of them.

So, I suppose what I need to ask is, how many ducks, which breed, how large is their shelter, can they have food with water in there?  

If they want to go in, I would let them in.  I also don't let my ducks out real early, as they sometimes are not done laying till after 9 a.m.  But days that I must must must get out of here earlier, I let them out and get them settled in and expect to find an egg or two in the day pen.

They are Anconas and Cayugas, 10 of them, 7 weeks old. They are in an 8x8 person height coop with 4 large windows that stay open at night (at least for the summer) that are hardware clothed, and a louvered door covered with hw cloth, and soffit vents across the back. The ventilation is good, it's often cooler in there than in the yard during a hot summer day! They have a night light and an area with pine pellets and a pot of water (think I may have taken that idea from you!) In a cement mixing tray. I also still give them food at night.

During the day, they are in a 10x10 covered pen, or in a small pen out in the yard or in the garden when I can stay nearby. We are building them a 100' x 200' run, but it will be uncovered, and we have a couple friendly neighborhood hawks that have been hanging around so I'm paranoid about letting them out or free range yet.

 

[seashoreduck]

at 7 weeks they are still rather tiny and babyish. I have a tiny, 2 level coop that's 2x5 and I put the ducks to bed before dark and let them out at 7 before work. They more or less understand this is what is. They are 12 weeks now and they are more saavy, noisy and mature than a month ago. I used to be nervous with them unsupervised but in the past couple of weeks they'ved moved from being skittish and in need of being in a pen or supervised free ranging to rather trustworthy and compliant individuals.

I do have 10, soon to be culled down to 6, and will be expanding the coop before winter. 20sqft is not perfect for 6 ducks but not terrible. They don't have food or water...and while others here would be happy to comb me over for it, my friend who has spend a lot of time around farm animals said that it's fine.

 

[Amiga]

I would let them in when they want in, then. Thanks for the reminders. We have so many great projects going on I forget who is doing what!