What does your duck hut look like, inside and out??

[DoodlesDuckies]

Good Morning. I am getting ready to transition the ducklings to the outdoors. Their hut is done but struggling on how to rock/plant around the hut and have things nice in their hut. Just looking for ideas. Around the actual hut will be fenced, which has to be figured out too. The final goal is freedom during the day. I am in north central WI so Zone 4 for plants. We have HARSH winters. We do not have a pond but there will be pools. Thanks!

 

[Jenbirdee]

mine is a childrens playhouse converted into duck house (by adding lots of ventilation)
when I go outside I'll take some pics and add them here ....

 

[deer trail duck farms]

my first thing i used was a garden shed. it worked good. unfortunalty i learned my ducks would rather lay in a snow bank in -30 degree weather. so now i use that shed for a brooder. and i have a few calf hutches and a truck cappet. for the adults. mainly just so they have something if they shall choose. i have 55 quackers....

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Mine live among my raised garden beds. The small fence is made of cedar fence boards on their sides with 1” mesh on them. If I were in a place with predators, I would dig mesh into the ground. Anyway, it is kind of a mess at the moment (1st picture) as it is spring. But, here are pictures.

There are shrubs and large perennials plants not visible in the pictures.

 

[CoriM]

I've since put the rounded pea gravel around the pond and pine shavings in the other half of the run and in the sleeping area. During the day they spend several hours in a tractor on the grass, and free-range when I'm with them. They spend hours on the tiny pond inside their run - I think it's their favorite part. While some are swimming, the others stand on the edge and watch. You could add a pond, and start considering that during the winter they're going to need a lot bigger sheltered area to protect from wind and snow.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

Thank You for your responses. I was wonder

Mine live among my raised garden beds. The small fence is made of cedar fence boards on their sides with 1” mesh on them. If I were in a place with predators, I would dig mesh into the ground. Anyway, it is kind of a mess at the moment (1st picture) as it is spring. But, here are pictures.
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There are shrubs and large perennials plants not visible in the pictures.

I am super jealous!! And have a lot of work to do. LOL!
I love all the great ideas from your pictures. We need to put in a fenced area too but we in the county a bit so have to make sure things cannot get in. So many little water sources too.

Your grass area is still in good condition it looks like too. I was scared we would end up with a huge mud pit with them stomping around.

Thank you for the pictures and ideas.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

I've since put the rounded pea gravel around the pond and pine shavings in the other half of the run and in the sleeping area. During the day they spend several hours in a tractor on the grass, and free-range when I'm with them. They spend hours on the tiny pond inside their run - I think it's their favorite part. While some are swimming, the others stand on the edge and watch. You could add a pond, and start considering that during the winter they're going to need a lot bigger sheltered area to protect from wind and snow.

Yeah, I have realized my shelter is NOT big enough. I planned for 4 ducks and 1 goose and somehow (weird how that happens) ended up with 9 ducks and 2 geese. I plan to put a pool in the run and in the fenced area. I was not sure if I was going to let them wander in the fenced area during the day all the time or not. Free Range will only happen when I am around.

I bought 30 bags of pea gravel, river rock and river stones...hoping to build paths and such. We have 8" of rock in the hut now but it may be too sharp of rock for their feet so pea gravel and straw will go in there too.

This is such a trial and error thing. Even after they hatched- tried 10 different water bowls to try to keep them dry and clean. They still aren't dry...messy little cutie pies.

Do they go into your flower beds?

Thank you for the pictures.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Thank You for your responses. I was wonder

I am super jealous!! And have a lot of work to do. LOL!
I love all the great ideas from your pictures. We need to put in a fenced area too but we in the county a bit so have to make sure things cannot get in. So many little water sources too.

Your grass area is still in good condition it looks like too. I was scared we would end up with a huge mud pit with them stomping around.

Thank you for the pictures and ideas.

Thank you! The bigger you make it, the less mud. I only have 6 ducks out there. If I had 12, it would be a different story.

 

[CoriM]

Yeah, it really is a trial and error type of thing. I've done plenty of that too! I've tried sand, straw, shavings, etc. My ducks do go in my flower beds but mostly looking for bugs. There are a couple plants that one of my duck likes but for the most part they don't bother them! They mostly love digging in the grass...I recommend just having lots of grass for them around their run where they can free-range when it's safe - it's soft on their feet and they love looking for bugs. Have fun!