We've decided to adopt !

[imperfectboi]

I recently got two wonderful pet ducks. We have a spare bedroom so I thought I could prep it and have them live in there and they could be inside ducks. After about three days I decided that they are going to the backyard as soon as they get big enough. I did not realize so much poop could come out of such a small animal ! I spent about a week or so doing a bit of research on them and I think they'll be a great addition to the family. They already follow me around and fall asleep the minute they hit my lap. Since I'm new to having pet ducks I do have a few questions. I was thinking since we have a full basement that opens up into the backyard I wanted to keep them down there at night and just have them outside during the day. The only animal I've ever seen in my backyard was a random groundhog but still I want to make sure they're safe. Does anybody know of a good mobile safe place to keep them and any idea's on prepping the basement ? We have a huge French door that goes into the basement so size isn't an issue. Also what's a good setup for keeping them inside ? This is again just until they get bigger. Last question is They have I guess separation anxiety and as long as they can see me they're fine but if I leave the room they lose their minds and start chirping very loud and I want to be able to keep them in the spare bedroom without them being scared. Thanks again in advance for the help.

 

[mrbuch]

I am new to ducks also I dont have any advice for you but had to tell you those are adorable little duckies we have 5 and they are very messy cant wait for them to get big enough to go out side

 

[imperfectboi]

Awe Thanks ! Oh wow ! five ? lol I have my hands full with these two. I couldn't imagine five ! These guys are going outside as soon as they get big enough. My mind changed very quickly from them being inside ducks to outside ducks. lol

 

[aprille218]

Your ducks have imprinted on you as "mom". They'll be okay when they get older but for now they are very needy. You can keep them outside in a chicken tractor like pen or fence in your entire backyard after they get bigger and are feathered out.
Aprille

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/863363/lightbox/post/13039017/id/6195225 this is nice for outside day time, and Amiga uses her walk out basement for night pen for her ducks, I bet she'd be able to give good advise on prep.

 

[Amiga]

I am outside - will write more when I get the flock settled. I love our basement pen!!

 

[Blooie]

My daughter started out with two Black East Indie ducks, Chester and Emma. Then she rescued an injured rock dove she named Nappy. (Short for Napoleon because of how his injured wing was tucked up) Soon Emma and Chester hatched out a full nest of baby ducks - I never get the number right but it was between 10 and 12. This year Chester and Emma added 10 more to their family. This would be just another happy little duck story except for one thing - they all, and I mean ALL, live in her house with her and her SO. They sit on the couch and beg popcorn. They have favorite toys. Emma uses a wire dog crate for her nest. Daughter has several plastic dog carriers and when she claps her hands the ducks split up and go into their respective crates. She then carries them all outside for swimming and play time. When it's time to go in, she claps her hands again and back into their crates they go for the return trip into the house. At night they go downstairs to sleep - well, all except Chester, Emma and Nappy. They were there first so they get choice lodging upstairs.
These ducks are sleek, shiny, healthy and unbelievably affectionate. Nappy is welcome to play any of the games the ducks are playing. He sleeps on top of an open door and he Chester are best buddies. I have never seen anything like it.

 

[Amiga]

Okay, duckies are in.

We have a Day Pen that has seemed fairly secure for nearly four years. There is coated chain link across the bottom, secured to a perimeter made of 2 1"x6" boards - the fence is sandwiched between the boards. Imagine a giant screen window. Attached to that horizontal frame are vertical fence posts. Across the tops of those posts are more horizontal boards.

The sides are fenced, the top is fenced.





The night pen is much less finished looking. It's inside the walkout basement. Again, we have a frame around the bottom of the pen area. To that are attached studs that attach to boards fasted to the joists under our floor. The walls of the night pen are plastic poultry fence, and there is an addition enclosed by luan. The addition came along when we adopted more adult ducks. It is useful when someone needs to be separated. Right now, Bean is in the addition. I love him, but he cannot help himself - he spends too much time on top of Hazel lately. The addition can be separated from the main pen with puppy pen fencing.


This is the widest angle I have of the night pen right now.


Here is what I did to accommodate the runners' preference for nesting corners - a plywood square, 90 degrees to the pen wall.


One view of the watering station.


Closeup of the watering station. Works wonders.

 

[imperfectboi]

Blooie, That is so awesome. I just don't know if I have the energy to keep them both inside. So much poop clean up ! lol Amiga those pens look spectacular ! They would be perfect for what I'm trying to do. I do need to get them some sort of watering station. Whenever they drink their beaks somehow become little sprinkler systems. They just had their morning bath and cage clean and are now drying themselves off and will be napping soon. I can't wait till it gets warmer so they can enjoy their kiddie pool. Did you have any specific design or plans to go off of when you made their pen ? I would love to be able to build something similar.

 

[Amiga]

Wanted to add that I am being proactive about the air quality in the night pen. I keep a fan, an air purifier and a dehumidifier down there. I keep developing better ways to manage with the dust from the bedding. I plan to paint the concrete walls with milk paint with borax in it to discourage mold and mildew. I keep researching ways to do this without electricity. But our electric bill is fairly low already, it's just I like to have systems that work if the electric grid stops working after a storm.