What to add to the aviary?

[PowellAnimals]

Hello!
I have a 12x8x8 aviary with a pair of wonderful Mandarin ducks in it. I was hoping to add to it but I am not sure if it is too small of an area to add anything or what lives well with the ducks. Any opinions or thoughts on what I should look into? We do get snow and are in zone 6b so our average lowest weather at any one point is -5. but usually in the teens and 20s in the winter. Thank you for your help!

 

[BYC-user-174785]

To reinforce what's already been said, for ducks especially, the more room the better. A common problem people often make is having too many birds for the size of their pen. You may be able to have birds survive in small pens, but if they are spacious and not crowded then your birds will be much more content and willing to breed. It is enjoyable to watch birds have lots of room to fly around.

 

[cavemanrich]

IS YOUR AVIARY ATTACHED TO SOME SORT OF HOUSING LIKE A COOP??? My thinking would be to just add more ducks. If you mix other birds, like quail, or ??? you will have to set up different feed stations, and possibly separate roost/perch areas. Reason I don't have ducks with my chickens, is the different housing requirements, as well as pond or pool for happy ducks. Chickens have different needs. I thought about keeping quail, but let that thought leave my mind. They can not be allowed to free range. Well, they can be, but that is the last I would see of them.

WISHING YOU BEST

 

[Buck Oakes]

I have 2 mandarin ducks as well, they are my little babies XD I'm so happy they were accepting to me, I love it when my little ember nibbles on my fingers lol if u get more mandarins like at a younger age it's capable to tame them ( just an fyi since I know not everyone keeps them as pets)

Mandarins are such a delight to have, and they get along perfectly with call ducks, my other mandarin sky, she was raised with a call duck, and they just love each other, they are like sisters and are stuck like glue it's so cute. Also wood ducks and mandarins get along great, so I've heard

 

[Icravepoultry]

Maybe wood ducks

 

[cajunfowl0]

Hello!
I have a 12x8x8 aviary with a pair of wonderful Mandarin ducks in it. I was hoping to add to it but I am not sure if it is too small of an area to add anything or what lives well with the ducks. Any opinions or thoughts on what I should look into? We do get snow and are in zone 6b so our average lowest weather at any one point is -5. but usually in the teens and 20s in the winter. Thank you for your help!

It's to small that's barely enough for the mandarins

 

[PowellAnimals]

It's to small that's barely enough for the mandarins

Glad I haven't added anything then! Do you really think it is too small? I have been reading 10x10 is what is needed and this one just ended up slightly short so it is 96 square feet. Would the 4 sq ft make a huge difference?

 

[cavemanrich]

The 4 foot shortage is not the issue... Just not good to add more birds to what you already have..

 

[cajunfowl0]

Glad I haven't added anything then!  Do you really think it is too small?  I have been reading 10x10 is what is needed and this one just ended up slightly short so it is 96 square feet.  Would the 4 sq ft make a huge difference?

A 10x10 is the absolute smallest you could possibly go for two birds. Remember these are wild birds where in the wild they have no cages. It would have to be 20x20 for two pairs in my opinion

 

[duckmanjim]

I had two mandarins and two wood ducks in a similar sized pen and they did just fine. Make sure they have a perch to fly up on. Mine preferred to be off the ground more than on it!