Wet bedding

[DuckCommander]

I house my ducks and chickens together over the winter (Northern Alberta, Canada). I am struggling with finding a way to keep the bedding dry so that I don't have to clean the coop every 4 days. I cleaned the coop Monday and bedded new straw, and its soaking wet again. I tried to put the water in a cut down kiddie pool, but the sides just flopped. Anyone have any ideas what to try?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I house my ducks and chickens together over the winter (Northern Alberta, Canada). I am struggling with finding a way to keep the bedding dry so that I don't have to clean the coop every 4 days. I cleaned the coop Monday and bedded new straw, and its soaking wet again. I tried to put the water in a cut down kiddie pool, but the sides just flopped. Anyone have any ideas what to try?

What kind of waterer are you using? also I suggest using pine shaving, much more absorbent and if you can don't put waterer inside the coop. Amiga showed a pic of her set up and I am thinking it was a plastic bin that had one end cut down, actually a plastic dog crate would work the same way the bottom half, I believe she used pelleted horse bedding and put the water can't remember what kind of container she use though but if you can keep the waterer inside something like this where they have to walk inside of something to drink that would keep the water off the main bedding. I use heated bucket and keep all of them outside the chickens ducks and geese use them. I'm not set up at all to have water inside my coops.

 

[DuckCommander]

What kind of waterer are you using? also I suggest using pine shaving, much more absorbent and if you can don't put waterer inside the coop. Amiga showed a pic of her set up and I am thinking it was a plastic bin that had one end cut down, actually a plastic dog crate would work the same why the bottom half, I believe she used pelleted horse bedding and put the water can't remember what kind of container she use though but if you can keep the waterer inside something like this where they have to walk inside of something to drink that would keep the water off the main bedding. I use heated bucket and keep all of them outside the chickens ducks and geese use them. I'm not set up at all to have water inside my coops.

I have been using just a black rubber waterer inside a tire to prevent them from tipping it over. Pine shavings get just as wet as the straw, but harder to clean up Outside isn't an option for us anymore its too cold for them to go outside. I am currently trying to find a hard sided sand box or kiddie pool and see if I can put the waterer in side of that and see if that helps.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have been using just a black rubber waterer inside a tire to prevent them from tipping it over. Pine shavings get just as wet as the straw, but harder to clean up Outside isn't an option for us anymore its too cold for them to go outside. I am currently trying to find a hard sided sand box or kiddie pool and see if I can put the waterer in side of that and see if that helps.

How about something like this? I got mine at TSC but probably any home improvement store would have them, this is what mine get to bath in during winter when temps get into 40's.

 

[DuckCommander]

How about something like this? I got mine at TSC but probably any home improvement store would have them, this is what mine get to bath in during winter when temps get into 40's.

I don't think its the waterer thats the problem its more the splashing by all the ducks and how to contain it or a bedding that can absorb more and not just stay wet. :S

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't think its the waterer thats the problem its more the splashing by all the ducks and how to contain it or a bedding that can absorb more and not just stay wet. :S

Oh I know about splashing that's why I don't have water inside my coops and houses. I wish I could help other than cutting out part of the floor and putting somekind of catch tank under then placing 1/4 " hardware cloth over top of hole you cut out then fastening it to the floor and putting the water container over this that way all the excess water would go down into catch tank but seems unless coop was heated you'd just have one big ice berg. Maybe someone who actually has done this and had it work will see your post and offer suggestions.

 

[Coop de Cuse]

I house my ducks and chickens together over the winter (Northern Alberta, Canada). I am struggling with finding a way to keep the bedding dry so that I don't have to clean the coop every 4 days. I cleaned the coop Monday and bedded new straw, and its soaking wet again. I tried to put the water in a cut down kiddie pool, but the sides just flopped. Anyone have any ideas what to try?

Can you post pics of the coop? Thanks!

 

[Amiga]

The material in the bottom of the watering station is pelleted sawdust. I scrape the top layer, with poop, off once a day. Every few days I remove damp sawdust and replace it.

 

[DuckCommander]

My coop stays +5 celcius right now at the lowest temp and I havn't added heat lamps yet this winter its not freezing in there at all, that why I am dealing with all this wet bedding! I wish I had the time for scraping or flipping bedding daily but I do not. I have a 6 month old baby that doesn't make it possible!
I am thinking of trying out another kiddie pool. One with hard sides this time and adding sand inside the pool with the waterer. A small sand test area is my idea. If it works out maybe do sand on the whole floor with shavings/straw over top for the winter.

 

[DuckCommander]

This is the "porch" of the coop

A view from the deck

Inside the porch with a back view of the grain feeder

A view inside the porch door

View of the laying boxes



Inside view of the feeder


This pictures were taken before the roosts were put in and painted was added this year


This view is from the back of the coop and the outdoor run. This is where they are watered in the spring/summer/fall