Where to house ducks?

Librarychick5

In the Brooder
Mar 8, 2021
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Hi! New member here. I am thinking of adding three ducks to our flock of 6 chickens and am looking for advise on how to incorporate them into our chicken coop or run. I added a photo - hopefully it works as it's my first time posting! We have a 5 x 7 chicken coop, which is our original coop (the reddish section in the photo). It has two enclosed sleeping areas with egg boxes up top and is open underneath. The underneath is more of a run area. Last year we added on when we got more chickens. The new section is a 2.5 x 10 low run (kinda like a tunnel) that connects the old coop with a new 9 x 8 run that is full height (green area in photo - hard to see in the photo as it goes behind the pine trees). All of this is roofed and predator proof with hardware mesh. In winter we have all the run areas mostly covered with clear marine pvc, with the exception of ventalation areas up high. The chickens sleep in the enclosed old coop area up top (red boxes). We moved their food and water into the new run. The chickens (and future ducks) free range every day, all day, in our front yard, except in the coldest/snowest conditions. The front yard is fenced, but not completely predator proof.

Hope you followed that description! Now, my question is, where should I house the ducks? I'd like to try houseing them together with the chickens, but if it really doesn't work, maybe next year build something new for the ducks. I think I have two locations to create boxed in sleeping areas for the ducks. First option is underneath the enclosed coop part where the chickens sleep in (original coop). This would be a 3 x 5 sized area. Second option is boxing out a 2.5 x 6 area (4 ft high) in the new chicken run. If I did that, I could add a ramp to the area above it for the chickens to access and utalize that upper space. First option seems easier to build (less materials). Second option would keep the chickens and ducks a little more separated. The chickens would have that original run area mostly free from ducks and their wetness.

Any thoughts on the best plan? I'm open to other suggestions too! From my research, I think all the ducks need is an enclosed box area on the ground with deep bedding, correct? Any help would be appreciated!


coop.jpg
 
Hi! New member here. I am thinking of adding three ducks to our flock of 6 chickens and am looking for advise on how to incorporate them into our chicken coop or run. I added a photo - hopefully it works as it's my first time posting! We have a 5 x 7 chicken coop, which is our original coop (the reddish section in the photo). It has two enclosed sleeping areas with egg boxes up top and is open underneath. The underneath is more of a run area. Last year we added on when we got more chickens. The new section is a 2.5 x 10 low run (kinda like a tunnel) that connects the old coop with a new 9 x 8 run that is full height (green area in photo - hard to see in the photo as it goes behind the pine trees). All of this is roofed and predator proof with hardware mesh. In winter we have all the run areas mostly covered with clear marine pvc, with the exception of ventalation areas up high. The chickens sleep in the enclosed old coop area up top (red boxes). We moved their food and water into the new run. The chickens (and future ducks) free range every day, all day, in our front yard, except in the coldest/snowest conditions. The front yard is fenced, but not completely predator proof.

Hope you followed that description! Now, my question is, where should I house the ducks? I'd like to try houseing them together with the chickens, but if it really doesn't work, maybe next year build something new for the ducks. I think I have two locations to create boxed in sleeping areas for the ducks. First option is underneath the enclosed coop part where the chickens sleep in (original coop). This would be a 3 x 5 sized area. Second option is boxing out a 2.5 x 6 area (4 ft high) in the new chicken run. If I did that, I could add a ramp to the area above it for the chickens to access and utalize that upper space. First option seems easier to build (less materials). Second option would keep the chickens and ducks a little more separated. The chickens would have that original run area mostly free from ducks and their wetness.

Any thoughts on the best plan? I'm open to other suggestions too! From my research, I think all the ducks need is an enclosed box area on the ground with deep bedding, correct? Any help would be appreciated!


View attachment 2561116
This article might be helpful: https://thecapecoop.com/raising-chickens-ducks-together/
 
We are currently building a chicken/duck coop combo. Top part will house 6 hens, bottom 4 ducks. They will share a run - bottom we need to add concrete pavers with wire mesh, door to run will stay open since ducks like to stay up at night. Somewhere in a forum around here another posted a how to off watering system for ducks - ducks make a muddy mess - this guy’s technique keeps run dry. I will try to find and post
 

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