What can I do to improve my coop?

[kmlj9491]

Okay so all I have to work with on a coop is this one I built last year. What can I do to improve it so my ducks will have a sustainable living area. They rarely get to come out because we live in the country and have coyotes out the wazoo. I want to get a couple more in the future but I need to improve this one first. Area is 10'×17' I'm also having flooding problems. The ground is so saturated and wet right now there's been standing water for a week.

 

[DuckPan]

That was the exact problem i was having with the water, finally i called a dirt supply co. and go lots of dirt and pea gravel. first i put the pea gravel down and slanted it down the pen, (Compress it alot btw) then put the dirt on top slant it in the same direction as the gravel, then compress it as much as you can, then give it a light spray of water every day for about a week. After that make a slanted drain that will lead out of the pen or into a deep ditch. Hope this helps, Good Luck!

 

[B-Goock]

Add sand and pea gravel to the run like mentioned above and put some sort of drain tile to a nearby ditch so it can drain. If a drain isn't an option then add another bottom board around the perimeter and fill with pea gravel and sand to raise the floor height above the surrounding ground. Another addition would be to put a roof over the run so the rain doesn't go right into the run.

Considering the coyote issue I would put something stronger than chicken wire up. I used welded 2x4 wire on my run and buried it 12-18" deep then turns out away from the run 12-18". You could leave the chicken wire up so wild birds don't get in and steal your feed and just apply the thicker wire onto the outside.

 

[DuckPan]

Add sand and pea gravel to the run like mentioned above and put some sort of drain tile to a nearby ditch so it can drain. If a drain isn't an option then add another bottom board around the perimeter and fill with pea gravel and sand to raise the floor height above the surrounding ground. Another addition would be to put a roof over the run so the rain doesn't go right into the run.

Considering the coyote issue I would put something stronger than chicken wire up. I used welded 2x4 wire on my run and buried it 12-18" deep then turns out away from the run 12-18". You could leave the chicken wire up so wild birds don't get in and steal your feed and just apply the thicker wire onto the outside.

Same i also use 2x4 welded wire.