Will it hurt them???

[percyj]

I was looking through some old posts and saw a post mulch vs sand can I know the pros and cons of each? Will mulch hurt their feet? I was thinking mulch around the pool, and sand in half the area, for them to lay on. Would this work?

 

[Amiga]

Mulch can be so many things. Are you talking wood chips, compost, leaves, straw?

I have coir in a pile in one part of the run, with some jewelweed and smartweed stems. That is the mulch I am using right now, on top of some sawdust.

 

[HottentotTeal]

Mulch would only really hurt them if it can get moldy.

In my area, it is very easy for wood to mold or grow fungus, because of the rain and high humidity.

 

[percyj]

We live in Chicago. mulch being wood chips. I just wanted something to place under the pool. I would prefer to just pick out the poo. Would sand work if wet?

 

[percyj]

Or should I put pea gravel around the pool and sand everywhere else? Do the ducks have an actual need of sand in their outdoor run? Or should grass be fine? And do you have to pick out the poo or can you leave it in the grass? If you have to pick it out then sand would be the best bedding right?

 

[percyj]

What do you guys do??? Pics of the inside of your run might help too . Thanks!!!

 

[Amiga]

Pea gravel is working very well for me. I can hose it off easily when needed.

They do not have to have sand, but some believe it is the easiest bedding. I do not like sand that much because it has no organic carbon in it. The carbon seems to help keep the poop from getting as nasty between cleanings.

(I am a compost nut and biologist, so please bear with me here.)

Anyway, I use some sawdust (pelleted is what I can easily get) to cover their run, except under and around their water pans, where the pea gravel is. The sawdust soaks up moisture from their droppings. I can lightly rake off the little piles which then can go on the garden, or I can just let it work in for a while.

Depending on the density of the run (how many ducks per square foot), you may or may not be able to keep grass growing. Even though they are small, ducks seem to be able to flatten an area pretty well, especially after a rain.

Since everyone manages their ducks differently, I would say you could try just leaving their waste where they put it (grass loves it) and see how it goes for a week or two. My night pen has sand in the bottom, and when I had sand only, the nitrogen in the droppings made for a whiffy pen. When I started adding a layer of sawdust (which I change out every few weeks and add to the compost pile), the smell went away.

 

[percyj]

I think I'm going to go with gravel and sand using a kitty litter scoop to pick out the poo twice a day. Thanks!

 

[HottentotTeal]

Sand and gravel is really easy to clean.

That is what my aviary uses.

Before I feed them in the morning and evening, I just grab a handful or 2 of pebbles dip them in their water bowl which is left in there at all times other than when they are feeding.

I wash the pebbles in the water bowl, then take the bowl out and clean it out and return it with water once they have eaten about an hour later.


Check out the link in my signature to view some pics of my aviary.

It has pea-sized gravel around the door and a few plants, but primarily uses Jade pebbles throughout the aviary, especially around the pond.

They loaf around the shore of the pond, so it makes for easy cleaning, since they will usually poop in 2 or 3 spots time after time.

When i drain the pond once a week, I spray off the larger rocks and any pebbles i missed for the week.

The sand i use is called Lawn dirt, i think. I think it's a combination of sand and clay.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

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