Winter duck house...

[chickensducks&agoose]

Okay, we have predators, foxes mainly... or only.... anyway, my ducks and goose are sleeping in a completely secure wire pen, with straw and grass clippings over the bottom layer, so their feet never touch wire. but winter is coming! and i am going to need to do something different then. (vermont) I have 2 mallards, 2 Kcs, 1 blue swede, 1 pekin and one chinese goose. I am thinking about building a foundation of hay bales, and then putting my husbands dented truck cap on top.... then fencing around the outside, vertically and across the bottom, secured with zip ties or something so I can undo it in the spring, and all the ick will just be sitting there. how big do you think I need? They'll be able to run around in the day, but at night i need a minimum sq. ft... they really like eachother, and have occasionally stayed in small quarters, but i want them to be extra happy in the winter.. what do you think?

 

[ChickenToes]

Your idea will probably work fine, just make sure it's sealed up tight so no predators can get in.

Inside a coop you should have at least 3-4 square feet per bird.

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

I'm in the same boat chickensducks&agoose!

We have a fox problem too! We got ducks in April and they've been spending their nights in a 10x10 dog kennel, so far so good, knock on wood. I've read that ducks don't enjoy being cooped, even in winter. So our plan is to build a big doghouse like structure, or maybe A-frame, not very tall, with a big door (for shoveling out the hay/shavings) and I'll coop them overnight but let them range (will they range in the snow???) during the day.

I think your idea sounds great! Sounds like they'll have plenty of room, with just the right amount of headspace to keep them warm, easy to dismantle in spring. I read somewhere that haybales have like an R40 insulation value!! They'll be toasty in there.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

they do range in the winter, but usually not far. they pack the snow down really, really good, and mine like a nice warm pool of water every 2 days, with regular cold water in a large rubber thing 2 or 3 times a day (i have to knock out the ice)... i wish us both good luck.

 

[FenDruadin]

Sounds pretty good, chickensducks&agoose. I don't have harsh winters, but I've heard ducks don't mind too much. Straw/hay does have an excellent insulation value, but the ducks won't get cold unless they are exposed to wind, etc. A dog house inside the duck pen would work fine too, provided it's large enough.

I use zip ties to connect the wire under & over my dog kennel run, so the predators can't get under or over. They last pretty well, and are quick and easy to install. And easy to disconnect, so that is a good idea.

As for the "ick just sitting there," if you build your shelter up to two bales deep or more, you can use a "deep litter" method, which also helps to add warmth and is an easy way to keep the pen clean. I use this year-round, even in our hot summers, and do not have a bug or stink problem. Basically, you just lay a thin layer of bedding (straw or whatever), and each day or as often as they get it messy (but no more than once a day), you stir it up and then sprinkle a fresh layer of bedding over the top. It will build up to several inches thick, which is why you need to start with at least two bales of height. The bottom layers will literally compost in place, and the top layers will stay clean and fresh. Once a year, I shovel it all out and start again--this is a big chore, but it produces cartloads of gorgeous, rich compost for the garden. The top layers, which are not fully composted by cleaning day, I use as mulch on top of the compost wherever I use it (usually around my fruit trees). Under the bedding is lovely, rich, loamy soil that has benefitted from a year's worth of "compost tea." If you wanted to, you could move the pen every year and use the old location as an AWESOME garden bed.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

The problem is that I have too many ducks for their duck-pen. We're up to 6 ducks, and a goose, and we may even be getting back 2 ducks I 'gave' to a friend... he doesn't want to overwinter them, so it may be me or the freezer... So there is no way I can keep 8 ducks and a goose in a 8x8 pen all winter, and there is no way they will all fit in a dog house, and they DO want to be together.

 

[FenDruadin]

I don't see why they couldn't be let out during the day just like you do in summer, and then closed up at night. Your pen should be adequate for that. Or am I missing something?

Anyway, I think even if they don't range far, getting out in winter would still be refreshing and mean you can have them in a smaller area. But what you've already described should work fine too.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

i want them to be warm, and since the pond will be frozen, it makes sense to have them closer to my house.

 

[rainbowgardens]

I have read that preditors can dig through straw bales. You should secure strong wire mesh all around the outside of the bales and be sure to extend it out or down into the soil to prevent them from tunneling under as well.
We must keep our cute little duckies safe!

 

[berdlips]

I am new with ducks but have read that they need good ventilation and am thinking they are sturdier than chickens and dont need to be so warm. ??? The wild ones go swimming in the winter.?????