What size duck coop do I n eed?

[CloROss]

Hello, we are new to the duck world and currently have 5 3weeks old runner ducks. We are trying to find a outside coop for them for when they are ready to leave the house but i am unsure what size they need or where to purchase one from. I have looked on amazon and Google but some seem so expensive.

Any suggestions/advice?

 

[Jenbirdee]

Hello, we are new to the duck world and currently have 5 3weeks old runner ducks. We are trying to find a outside coop for them for when they are ready to leave the house but i am unsure what size they need or where to purchase one from. I have looked on amazon and Google but some seem so expensive.

Any suggestions/advice?

Hi and welcome to BYC!
It is always far better to either build your own or convert a shed , so you can walk in (to clean and gather eggs)
I started with a prefab coop-run and got a terrible backache from all the bending.
Now I have a small shed 8x6 with 12 ducks, they have 4 sq feet each, which is the suggested requirement , and they have a 3000 sq ft section of my yard with 6ft high fenced to run and play all day, and plenty of what I call "hawk obstacles" to hide under (childrens playhouses, picnic tables, chairs, bushes, small trees, etc etc)
The duck-house 'shed' was a childrens playhouse but its a big one I can stand up in and have my own 'adult' door , plus the kid's door for ducks. I had to get my tools out and cut into it 12 windows, 1 sq foot each for ventilation, as high up as possible. I attached hardware cloth inside and out and framed around them.

 

[CloROss]

Hi and welcome to BYC!
It is always far better to either build your own or convert a shed , so you can walk in (to clean and gather eggs)
I started with a prefab coop-run and got a terrible backache from all the bending.
Now I have a small shed 8x6 with 12 ducks, they have 4 sq feet each, which is the suggested requirement , and they have a 3000 sq ft section of my yard with 6ft high fenced to run and play all day, and plenty of what I call "hawk obstacles" to hide under (childrens playhouses, picnic tables, chairs, bushes, small trees, etc etc)
The duck-house 'shed' was a childrens playhouse but its a big one I can stand up in and have my own 'adult' door , plus the kid's door for ducks. I had to get my tools out and cut into it 12 windows, 1 sq foot each for ventilation, as high up as possible. I attached hardware cloth inside and out and framed around them.

Thank you this has helped alot, as we are currently looking at a child's playhouse but was unsure if this would work. It is only for them to sleep and be protected at night. They will have access to a large run. What size pool/water area is suggested?

 

[CoriM]

I agree, building your own is probably going to be less expensive and a better end result than buying. Make sure it's predator proof for all your local predators - buried hardware cloth, etc. You want plenty of places for them to move around and have their own space and it's also handy to make it big enough to possibly store supplies and use a divider fence if you ever need to section off any of the birds.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Thank you this has helped alot, as we are currently looking at a child's playhouse but was unsure if this would work. It is only for them to sleep and be protected at night. They will have access to a large run. What size pool/water area is suggested?

my 12 ducks are happy with 2 kiddie pools.