What does your duck house look like?

[kimdvm]

M Kelly,

I don't actually have my ducks yet (have Muscovies on order) but it is my presumption that the ducks will eventually destroy the grass and turn it to mud (as will any animal repeatedly in the same space). I think to keep grass, you'll need to let them free-range or be able to move the coop. I'm trying to get set up to have both. I'm hoping to train the Muscovies as my chickens are: to enter the coop at night and be closed in. Then I'll have a run enclosure around the coop, so that we can close them up if needed but in general leave it open for them to range during the day.

Based on what I am seeing here, it sounds like people do OK putting Muscovies with other ducks? I'd like to do that eventually (to get some ducks that are better layers). We are starting with Muscovies, even though we know we won't get many eggs, because it looks like they can do a decent job of getting away from predators when free-ranging.

 

[1missrae]

My muscovies go into their house on their own every night. We just go out there and close the door behind them. Easy peasy!

 

[Smartconnect]

I don't have any trouble with the females, their hatchlings, and the drakes all living together.

My experience has been somewhat different. I have Muscovies - a drake and two ducks that began sitting about three weeks apart. Once the second duck began sitting, she would leave her own eggs to find, chase and viciously attack the first. These two ducks are sisters and lived together until the first started laying in the shared house, so now they are nesting/living in separate houses with a common 3,500 sq. ft. fenced yard.
Oh, and the Drake will also try to mount the ducks whenever they take a break from sitting to eat, drink, and poop, so there is a lot of drama going on several times a day. Hopefully the attacks will stop once their respective ducklings are old enough and they can all be integrated into one large flock...

 

[tdd2]

Do ducks need grass and or dirt for their run? We are trying to figure out our coop and duck house as we are hoping to move our four ducks and six chickens outside this week. I have decided to keep them separate but they will free range together in my yard. I think I may use my 12x12 dog kennel with a cement pad for my ducks if they don't need dirt or grass.

Though our ducks get time out in the yard for supervised foraging/play time daily, we opted to use rubber horse stall mats from the local Agway for the floor of our duck pen.

Dirt will instantly become mud, and in ours (it's enclosed) the grass wouldn't live long. I would think constant contact with a cement surface may lead to bumblefoot or other abrasive injury potential, IMHO.

Hope that helps!

Cheers

Dan

 

[QueenQuack]

Here is the beginning of ours... This will be the "pool and cabin deck".... The plan is 4'x8' sections.

And here is where we are so far...

 

[Little witch]

My duck house and run holds my two Campbell's. It's got AstroTurf in the run as it was just a muddy bog with English weather and 2 messy ducks. Their house is a rabbit hutch and they snuggle up in it when it's cold but sleep in the run when it's warm. It also has bricks found the outside to deter foxes and my kids have built a wall for the ducks
I have a 6foot chicken house and run that is (still) being painted that will be attached to the run and moved to a different part of the garden in the next couple weeks.

I also have a 9week old call duck (who looks like she is going to become a house duck permanently) who is in an indoor rabbit run

LW

 

[Going Quackers]

M Kelly,

I don't actually have my ducks yet (have Muscovies on order) but it is my presumption that the ducks will eventually destroy the grass and turn it to mud (as will any animal repeatedly in the same space). I think to keep grass, you'll need to let them free-range or be able to move the coop. I'm trying to get set up to have both. I'm hoping to train the Muscovies as my chickens are: to enter the coop at night and be closed in. Then I'll have a run enclosure around the coop, so that we can close them up if needed but in general leave it open for them to range during the day.

Based on what I am seeing here, it sounds like people do OK putting Muscovies with other ducks? I'd like to do that eventually (to get some ducks that are better layers). We are starting with Muscovies, even though we know we won't get many eggs, because it looks like they can do a decent job of getting away from predators when free-ranging.

They do but i have found unless raised together as ducklings they tend to ignore other breeds, they have the odd poke or prod but otherwise ignore lol I have Pekin and Buff in my flock of scovies but the buffs were raised with scovies from ducklings.

Muscovy lay quite well, there are other breeds who are better but they are definitely not lacking in that department, ducks usually manage to keep themselves away from preds but drakes are big, heavy ducks, lacking the ability to fly for most as they age, making them just as vulnerable.

 

[Going Quackers]

And here is where we are so far...

That is quite cute! can you lock them in the house? or no. My only concern is that wire will not protect against predators.. is there another form of protection?

 

[lvmomma]

This is my girls' new house they just got moved into yesterday...it isn't quite finished...the area to the right of the house is going to be a rooftop garden.

 

[M Kelley]

Thank you for great ideas and your duck enclosure is awesome. I went and bought some horse stall mats, it's so easy just to hose them down. What do you use for a feeder and waterer do you give them food and water when you put them in their house for the night?