Under Deck Duck House and Run? Anyone done this?

[Katicorn]

We have two female Swedish Blue and Two Female Pekin ducklings arriving in APril. I was thinking that the Lattice enclosed area under our deck might be an ideal location to put their house and let them have space/run,free ranging in our fenced garden during the day. We have many predators in the area, and this seems like an extra line of defense during the night. Not to mention some wicked wind storms with flying branches.

We’d line the lattice with a smaller wire for protection again predators. My main concern is sunlight. We’re in the mountains backing to a forest, so Im not sure of the light quality under there.

Has anyone used this idea successfully?

 

[shawluvsbirds]

We have two female Swedish Blue and Two Female Pekin ducklings arriving in APril. I was thinking that the Lattice enclosed area under our deck might be an ideal location to put their house and let them have space/run,free ranging in our fenced garden during the day. We have many predators in the area, and this seems like an extra line of defense during the night. Not to mention some wicked wind storms with flying branches.

We’d line the lattice with a smaller wire for protection again predators. My main concern is sunlight. We’re in the mountains backing to a forest, so Im not sure of the light quality under there.

Has anyone used this idea successfully?

First, how would you get under there for cleaning it up/out? It will be a smelly mess under there.
If it was just a place to secure them at night it might be ok.

 

[Katicorn]

First, how would you get under there for cleaning it up/out? It will be a smelly mess under there.
If it was just a place to secure them at night it might be ok.

It’s a huge area. The ceiling/deck boards are 12 feet up. its 10’ x25’. There’s lots of room. With 4 ducks and deligent pin keeping, you think it would still be too stinky?
We just feel they might be more secure there in forest of bears,Fox,coyotes, bobcats,fAlcons,enormous owls etc. We do plan to have them free range in the yard/garden supervised when they are older. Or a “day pin” outside. But we get massive storms that roll in, so I wouldn’t want to keep them out even in a typical coop in the yard because of that.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

It’s a huge area. The ceiling/deck boards are 12 feet up. its 10’ x25’. There’s lots of room. With 4 ducks and deligent pin keeping, you think it would still be too stinky?
We just feel they might be more secure there in forest of bears,Fox,coyotes, bobcats,fAlcons,enormous owls etc. We do plan to have them free range in the yard/garden supervised when they are older. Or a “day pin” outside. But we get massive storms that roll in, so I wouldn’t want to keep them out even in a typical coop in the yard because of that.

Can you post some pics of your deck? 12 ft high shouldn't be too bad I wouldn't think.
You will definitely need to line the lattice with hardware cloth anything could go through lattice holes.

 

[LT71689]

You'd want to also install a predator apron (horizontal hardware cloth that extends a foot or so all the way around the deck and probably another foot along the side of the house so they cant skip a corner) to keep predators from digging their way in. Otherwise that's a plenty high roof, it shouldnt be too much of an issue. Ducks don't need much in the way of fancy, just wind, rain, and predator protection. Where are you located, what are your summers and winters like? Is there anything under your deck like venting from the house, A/C units, etc other things people usually put under their decks to get them "out of the way"? The ducks would obviously need to be kept away from those. Light is a concern, but less so if you plan to let them out for most of the day - youd just have to be certain that this is a sustainable plan.

 

[Katicorn]

You'd want to also install a predator apron (horizontal hardware cloth that extends a foot or so all the way around the deck and probably another foot along the side of the house so they cant skip a corner) to keep predators from digging their way in. Otherwise that's a plenty high roof, it shouldnt be too much of an issue. Ducks don't need much in the way of fancy, just wind, rain, and predator protection. Where are you located, what are your summers and winters like? Is there anything under your deck like venting from the house, A/C units, etc other things people usually put under their decks to get them "out of the way"? The ducks would obviously need to be kept away from those. Light is a concern, but less so if you plan to let them out for most of the day - youd just have to be certain that this is a sustainable plan.

Thank you. We’re up at 5,000 feet in the mountains of NC, near A granite cliff.We get all the after math of the hurricanes coming in, as well as major storm systems. Our annual rainfall amounts are definately rainforest amounts. Its gorgeous, but the winds are no joke at times.There’s nothing under the deck except a door to the area below the house that has all our systems. Venting is not in that location.

Hardware cloth sounds more affordable than the wire we were looking at, I’ll look it up. I assume you mean a foot out over the ground, as well as up above covering some of the lattice?

It’s three sides with the lattice. The deck above is covered by a roof, so the under area is dry. I havent looked at the amount of sunlight that makes it in. (We’re still in Texas for the winter, I’m just preparing long distance. ) hopefully that won’t be an issue if they get yard roaming time on pleasant days.

For floor cover, would straw be best? I need to research if shavings attract the carpenter ants or termites. Currently it’s hard packed with pine needle straw.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Thank you. We’re up at 5,000 feet in the mountains of NC, near A granite cliff.We get all the after math of the hurricanes coming in, as well as major storm systems. Our annual rainfall amounts are definately rainforest amounts. Its gorgeous, but the winds are no joke at times.There’s nothing under the deck except a door to the area below the house that has all our systems. Venting is not in that location.

Hardware cloth sounds more affordable than the wire we were looking at, I’ll look it up. I assume you mean a foot out over the ground, as well as up above covering some of the lattice?

It’s three sides with the lattice. The deck above is covered by a roof, so the under area is dry. I havent looked at the amount of sunlight that makes it in. (We’re still in Texas for the winter, I’m just preparing long distance. ) hopefully that won’t be an issue if they get yard roaming time on pleasant days.

For floor cover, would straw be best? I need to research if shavings attract the carpenter ants or termites. Currently it’s hard packed with pine needle straw.

Mostly it's just a matter of preference and your set up when it comes to floor covering.
Pine shavings absorb more moisture than straw, which is good because duck excrement is very wet.
Straw does not decompose and disappear into the ground as fast.
I end up using a combination of both. I like to use straw anywhere outside where it's going to get rained on or wet from water splashing.
A combination inside the houses.
Straw to help keep things fluffy and not packed down so hard, shavings mixed in to help absorb moisture and ammonia smell.

 

[LT71689]

Thank you. We’re up at 5,000 feet in the mountains of NC, near A granite cliff.We get all the after math of the hurricanes coming in, as well as major storm systems. Our annual rainfall amounts are definately rainforest amounts. Its gorgeous, but the winds are no joke at times.There’s nothing under the deck except a door to the area below the house that has all our systems. Venting is not in that location.

Hardware cloth sounds more affordable than the wire we were looking at, I’ll look it up. I assume you mean a foot out over the ground, as well as up above covering some of the lattice?

It’s three sides with the lattice. The deck above is covered by a roof, so the under area is dry. I havent looked at the amount of sunlight that makes it in. (We’re still in Texas for the winter, I’m just preparing long distance. ) hopefully that won’t be an issue if they get yard roaming time on pleasant days.

For floor cover, would straw be best? I need to research if shavings attract the carpenter ants or termites. Currently it’s hard packed with pine needle straw.

Yes, the apron lies flat and should stretch about a foot or so from where the fence meets the ground outwards, making the horizontal leg of an L. You'll probably want to bury it a couple inches to keep anything from just sliding under it and to make upkeep of the lawn around the deck easy/no stepping on wires that are peeling up/getting caught in the lawn mower/etc. Predators will typically go up to the vertical fence, realize they cant get in, and then start digging right where they are. They'll move left or right looking for a week spot but they wont think to back up a foot and try to tunnel. The apron stops them from being able to get under the fence.

I'd also hardware cloth the full height of the lattice, you'll probably have raccoons and a few other small predators that are decent and clever climbers.

Also want to make sure with the rains that that area drains well so they dont get flooded out and the bedding can stay dry. If the wind isn't blocked by the house enough you can straw bale bank or tarp the bad sides to create a buffer in hurricane season