What to fill my duck run with? And progress pics

[shawluvsbirds]

Almost 2 weeks with snow...wow,HOW DO YOU SURVIVE IT?

like this.

 

[Duckworth]

I'd like to chime in about what I have used. Chopped STRAW. Period. I know--it gets packed down. But that is the good part--the ducks will poop all over it, and walk on it. They thereby create a compressed mass of straw/poop, which is a great base to walk on. I just kept adding fresh straw every few days, and then it would get packed down, etc.
The only thing is that it will take some days to properly fill. But really, how serious is that? Right now I have a firm base of about 5" thickness. If I ever want to get rid of it, a shovel takes it out pronto. But if I want to just leave it, then what's the harm? It just gets a bit thicker with time. BTW, it drains, too.
I hope this helps someone, since it made my life so easy.

This (clean straw) is what I am using. I have to have a hard surface floor to meet our local code, so I have 3/4" plywood over joists on short, pre-fab piers, painted and covered in straw. I keep my open bale in the pen and just distribute some over the poopy areas each evening after putting the ducks in their house.

I also empty their kiddie pool each evening. It is on the low side of the pen, so any water (and poop) that doesn't go out through the hardware cloth and into the runoff trench goes through the straw and, by gravity, flows out the cracks around the cleanout door at the lowest point of the pen overnight. The poop trapped in the straw just contributes to the composting process. I got five large bales for $20.

We have very cold winters here, so I'm hoping the composting process will add a little bit of heat to the duck house. The lower layers of straw are warmer than the ambient temperature. My ducks have only been outside full time for a month, but my pen doesn't smell or draw flies.

I'm still quite new at this, so I could be getting a lot of things wrong, but the straw seems to work better than wood shavings did in our climate. And wood shavings are a lot more expensive here. The local community compost is full of things I choose not to put in my garden or duck pen, so I pass on it. But bales of straw or grass are cheap and easy to find.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

on the bottom (after you get as much soil out as possible)

use pea stones (the rounded ones):
over that put a layer of landscape mesh
then drainage mats
then all the chips/shavings/ leaves you can think of

That is an awesome idea. I currently have 2 ducks living with my chickens. Next spring I plan to build them their own little house/pen. I want to employ your technique!

View attachment 1153280 View attachment 1153282 here are a couple pics that better shows how much we have to fill. I have to get at least one load of dirt to go on the outside even. There will be a predator apron attached to the bottom board around the outside and bent out then covered with dirt. The inside needs to be filled at least up to the board. That's a lot of space to fill!!

What part of Missouri are you in? I am in Mexico in Central Missouri -- about 30 miles northeast of Columbia. I've never experienced any fleas here, just ticks and flies. Anyway, if you are in this neck of the woods, Bluebird Composting in Fulton has all types of soil, compost, etc.

We do get snow, but I haven't been here for the heaviest snows yet. We did get a lot of freezing rain where your vehicle turns into a ginormous block of ice

 

[Duckworth]

What part of Missouri are you in? I am in Mexico in Central Missouri -- about 30 miles northeast of Columbia.. . .

We do get snow, but I haven't been here for the heaviest snows yet. We did get a lot of freezing rain where your vehicle turns into a ginormous block of ice

I lived in St. Louis in the 80's and 90's, so I'm quite familiar with those blocks of ice wherein a vehicle allegedly lurks. That taught me to keep my cans of de-icer in the house and to carry one into work in my briefcase.

 

[perchie.girl]

we get some snow in the winter.... bout 72 hrs.... worth. up at my house....

 

[shawluvsbirds]

That is an awesome idea. I currently have 2 ducks living with my chickens. Next spring I plan to build them their own little house/pen. I want to employ your technique!



What part of Missouri are you in? I am in Mexico in Central Missouri -- about 30 miles northeast of Columbia. I've never experienced any fleas here, just ticks and flies. Anyway, if you are in this neck of the woods, Bluebird Composting in Fulton has all types of soil, compost, etc.

We do get snow, but I haven't been here for the heaviest snows yet. We did get a lot of freezing rain where your vehicle turns into a ginormous block of ice

Southwest corner. Tiny dot on the map between Springfield and Joplin.

 

[BantyChooks]

Wait a minute. . I thought all non city slickers owned four wheel drive trucks and a tractor? You should have no problem hauling a couple measly loads of top soil down to the train station for me!

Sorry, despite your perception of 'country', no trucks here. I can't fit the whole family in one and buying a truck just to sit in the yard for most of the time is foolish.

So I have to bring it down one tractor bucket at a time, eh?? You come here and get it yourself.

Maybe you need a Shaw/Banty/Liz/etc. disclaimer in your signature line.

You sayin' I need a disclamer?

Almost 2 weeks with snow...wow,HOW DO YOU SURVIVE IT?

I know, amazing. I bow to your survival skills, Shaw.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

He had a golden shower.

that was my initial thought LOL

Sorry, despite your perception of 'country', no trucks here. I can't fit the whole family in one and buying a truck just to sit in the yard for most of the time is foolish.

i have 3 trucks, and trailers, and tractors and allllll sorts of fun stuffs


hey Ralphie i meant to tell you i upgraded one of my Chevy's (81 K20) to a FORD 2003 350 it has less miles than my tahoe and looks brandy new-new

 

[DwayneNLiz]

You sayin' I need a disclamer?

yeah, we probably do

 

[BantyChooks]

hey Ralphie i meant to tell you i upgraded one of my Chevy's (81 K20) to a FORD 2003 350 it has less miles than my tahoe and looks brandy new-new

Now I am jealous!! Need someone to babysit it during the day?