Woodland Duck Chalet PICS on Page 2

[Solsken Farm]

Can you post bigger pictures? I think that might be why you aren't getting as many replies....

From what I can see it looks beautiful.

 

[arlee453]

So cute - don't know a thing about housing for ducks, but I do know cute when I see it!

Nice idea - I like the way you are integrating it all together.

 

[dixygirl]

Today I will put bags of cement in and around the coop floor and try to put cage wire on the roof support

 

[dixygirl]

Well it is basically finished and they are in it. On Independence Day 2008 they will have their first night of independence outside of the house. Pictures to follow.

Let's hope I made it predator tight

 

[dixygirl]

My Woodland Duck Chalet

CLICK EACH PHOTO TO ENLARGE


The enclosed oval space is about 21 feet x 31 feet. I used U Posts hammered in the earth and stabilized with cement. The fence is also anchored to the ground with cement around the entire circle. It looks natural like native sand and pea gravel lending to the natural pond garden theme. It is less obtrusive than wooden boards around the bottom would have appeared. The white tape is electrical tape and was already in place for the horse. It will serve as a layer of defense against predators. I will add a lower row for this purpose. The coop is 8'x4'x4' made totally of found wood.

They have a kiddie pool sunk in the ground with transplanted plantings surrounding it. The fence roof is pitched higher in the center, elevated by the 10 foot tall wooden posts in the center of the pen. Two feet are sunk in the ground. I made the holes with a hand held post hole digger. The area around the pool is cement powder and river rocks. I sprayed the powder cement with a hose and it looks very natural like a simple pond garden. If I had used sand on this slope it would have moved around. With the sand appearing cement, I can just hose down their poop and it will drain down hill to fertilize the woods. They have their grass and plants to forage and a cute little chalet coop to boot!

I will get one package of brown dimensional shingles $17, for the roof of the coop. But for now it is just covered with Asphalt paper which will be the underlayment.

The welded wire of the roof and that of the sides are seamed together with a roll of heavy gauge wire all around. Also the seams between the rows of fencing are likewise sewn together with very heavy wire.

A lot of work has gone into this little project to make it look simple and fit in naturally with the wooded surrounding. I think it worked and all came together nicely. My goal was to make it look like a little pond garden in the woods as opposed to a sterile pen. There will be more touch ups with time. I may add more sod, another forage and more plantings. In person the fence seems almost invisible. You have to focus to notice it.



Coop made of all found wood. Note the plexiglass round window on the side and arched door with rustic hinges.


Back of coop showing hardware cloth at bottom for ventilation. Cement all around and inside for security (looks like sand around the coop.) I am resting comfortably tonight. I have no doubt they will be safe in there with that cement on the floor and outside on the perimeter.


Inside of coop with pine shavings on top of cement. See the hardware cloth vent at bottom. Round plexiglass window not shown. You can see that the wood I found in my shed is very old. It may be 50 year old wood I used for this project. But I stained it pretty, conservative colors outside and made it work anyhow.

Instead of nailing the fencing to boards at the bottom I just poured a mound of powder cement all around and wet it. It secures the fence to the ground and is as hard as a rock although it looks like just sand. I sprayed Repels-All predator repellent on the cement outside the base of the fence all around the whole circle. I am also thinking of spray painting the U posts silver so they fade in more with the fencing and sawing off the excess at the top. I may plant clematis and cross vine up each U post too with time.



I hope they will like it

What do you think?

 

[dixygirl]

Well they made it through the night safely in their new house... fireworks and all. I walked outside this morning to chilling silence, but then as they heard me opening the fence I heard the familiar QUACK quack quack quack!

I opened the door and they were snuggled in their pine shavings. I knew that the cement floor and cement around the outside of the coop would keep them safe. So it seems that for the most part, this is predator safe. Although nothing is 100% safe in this life, not even our own homes.... But it is passable.

Thanks for all your kind words and I hope my post offers ideas for others as to one way to effectively make a safe environment for your chicks and ducks economically and complementary to the natural environment.

 

[miss_jayne]

how fun is that duck chalet!!! what a cute idea, plus the found materials, creativity!

super awesome!

 

[newbiecaroline]

This looks so fun....but how do you keep the water in the pool clean? does it need replacing every other day?

 

[dixygirl]

Thank you so much

I think it would need to be replaced every two days. I am thinking of hooking the waste water up to a barrel some how to water my garden.

I know my little coop is very humble compared to some of the other towering buildings shown on here. It doesn't even have shingles on the roof yet. But I think it fits my little duckies perfectly. Oh I have got 2 chickens in there too temporarily.

Thanks again for your complements

 

[CarlaRiggs]

Dixy,

The coop is delightful! Love the medieval architecture.

Your ducks are obviously spoiled.... really a nice set-up with the trees and all.
Because you're in the south, you may want to make a vent at the top of the coop. Hot air rises, and this will give it a chance to go out as the cool air in the bottom comes in.

Carla