Wet duck coop!

[crc310]

I’m hoping there’s something u can suggest. I have a 10’x10’ wood w/ siding shed for our 4 hens, 1 rooster, 2 drakes and 2 duck hens. There’s 2’x2’ patio blocks for the floor. I usually use straw as the bedding. I have a kiddie pool with the pail of water for the ducks and a chicken watered nearby. The ducks will use both. I’m removing poopy straw and wet straw in pool every 1-2 days. Replacing water in the pail daily. It still seems messy... am I expecting too much? I’m concerned with the moisture in the coop during the winter with the chickens (frostbite). They have outside access during the day, usually free range. Once it snows (in lower thumb of MI), the chickens won’t leave the coop. Looking into getting Barnlime to mix in? Should I use hardwood shavings instead?

 

[wamtazlady]

Ducks are messy. They love to play in water and make mud if allowed. They poop messy. You could try to put a top on the pail so that the ducks are limited in how much water they can splash out. It's late in the season but it would have been best to make a separate area for the ducks to live. One way to keep the ducks from making messes is to put their water container centered on a grate about 4 feet by 4 feet. A hole is dug beneath the grate and filled with gravel to collect all that water from splashing. Not sure you want to take on a project like that with winter so close.

I am not familiar with Barnlime so do not know how that would work. The hardwood shavings would most likely not solve your problem. Your problem is ducks love water.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you have a pool inside your coop that needs to go, Over winter just give them something outside to splash in but inside the coop is a disaster especially for the chickens. Even drinking water isn't good since they will splash it all out in no time. Not many of us are set up to have any type of water for our birds inside it just doesn't work. They can all go with out water and feed through the night.

 

[crc310]

Ducks are messy. They love to play in water and make mud if allowed. They poop messy. You could try to put a top on the pail so that the ducks are limited in how much water they can splash out. It's late in the season but it would have been best to make a separate area for the ducks to live. One way to keep the ducks from making messes is to put their water container centered on a grate about 4 feet by 4 feet. A hole is dug beneath the grate and filled with gravel to collect all that water from splashing. Not sure you want to take on a project like that with winter so close.

I am not familiar with Barnlime so do not know how that would work. The hardwood shavings would most likely not solve your problem. Your problem is ducks love water.

They were in a separate area but I opened it up for more space now that the babies are the same size as mom. I will try to make the opening smaller. The floor is patio bricks. When it’s not frozen, I have a kiddie pool I fill daily and move around. Outside isn’t an issue since they free range. Thanks

 

[crc310]

If you have a pool inside your coop that needs to go, Over winter just give them something outside to splash in but inside the coop is a disaster especially for the chickens. Even drinking water isn't good since they will splash it all out in no time. Not many of us are set up to have any type of water for our birds inside it just doesn't work. They can all go with out water and feed through the night.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, the pool is full of straw to confine the watery mess. It’s changed daily. Mine don’t have access to outside at night. There’s a 10’x10’ dog pen attached but needs some repair to be predator proof again. Thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don’t have a pen either they have half acre fenced property once outside of their coop and I keep their feed and water outside under protection from the elements. No way to contain the mess if you keep water inside. Believe me I have tried all kinds of things. Mine don’t have access outside at night either they just don’t get food and water inside. I’ve had ducks since 2004 never lost any to not having feed and water inside. I have tiny bantam chickens OEGB who will not come out when it’s snowing or snow on the ground I set up a heated dog bowl with a 2x4 over half to keep the ducks from climbing into it put pee pads down into a under bed storage container 4 bricks on top of that to keep the bowl from sitting in the water then put pee pads on the outside of the container. Went in this morning to check on water and feed (it’s over along the opposite wall so the ducks don’t muck it up) just about all the water was gone out of the bowl and the pee pads are soaked, if not for my bantams there would be nothing inside. We’re in the middle of a snow storm.

 

[crc310]

Here’s the set up this morning. I replaced all bedding with fresh yesterday.

 

[crc310]

Here

 

[Miss Lydia]

That looks good, but there is no way to keep that area with the bucket in it dry I have pee pads down under mine plus shavings and everything is soaked . If it wasn't for my tiny bantams I wouldn't even be thinking about water and feed inside. You could try making some kind of pan with a top over made out of hardware cloth attached some how to make sure they don't get poked that stuff hurts. and then the water goes into the container. I may try that next since I only have the container no top So soon as we can get out I am looking at those plastic containers that I can try making into something I can place a heated dog bowl on to catch the water.