HOUSING YOUR Flock
Provide your ducks with these essentials to make them happy and healthy at home.
Insulated within their waterproof plumage and down, domestic ducks have adapted to a range of climates around the world. You’ll find them weathering Midwestern snows and southwestern heat waves in the United States, heavy downpours in the British Isles and stifling humidity in Central American rain forests. While chickens remain tucked in their cozy coops on a snowy winter day, ducks dabble blithely about their ice-rimmed pond. Although mature ducks typically don’t require the sort of snug accommodations many folks fashion for their chickens, especially in areas with fairly mild winters, many small flock raisers do provide indoor housing or a covered shelter — and not just because they feel like spoiling their feathered friends.
Giving ducks a refuge from weather extremes improves egg and meat production; after all, it takes energy for ducks to keep warm or cool off, energy they could use laying eggs and putting on pounds. Not only that, but when exposed to frigid weather, ducks — especially the cold-sensitive Muscovy — risk frostbite to their feet.
Along with providing a house or shelter for their ducks, many raisers keep their birds partially or completely confined in outdoor duck yards, pens or fenced pastures. An enclosure of some type comes in handy for preventing these ever-foraging fowl from
rooting up your spring veggie starts, sleeping — and messing — on your deck, or wandering out onto the road and to your neighbor’s garden.
Secure housing and pens serve an even more important purpose: protection from the host of varmints that will dine on duck eggs, ducklings or adult ducks if given an easy opportunity to do so. Most domestic ducks, with the possible exception of some fierce, flying Muscovies, truly are “sitting ducks.” As a rule, ducks tend to be noisy, colorful, unaggressive, slow on land and incapable of swift flight (if they can fly at all) — all traits that make them attractive to wild and domestic predators.
Housing BASICS
Along with adapting easily to various climates, ducks adjust well to many different housing arrangements. You don’t have to spend a bundle to provide them with adequate shelter. Keepers of small duck flocks use a variety of accommodations for their fowl, from simple Igloo doghouses, revamped chicken coops, livestock stalls and dog kennels to beautiful custom-made wood abodes and netted aviaries designed especially for ornamental ducks. How large or elaborate your ducks’ home should be depends on a number of factors, including your climate, finances, time constraints, local building regulations and more.
Here are some points to consider when planning a refuge for your ducks:
Housing Specifics
Before you draw up plans for a duck house and yard or modify an existing structure, keep in mind the following important guidelines.
SPACE requirements
One of the joys of keeping your own small flock of ducks is knowing that your birds have more space to engage in natural behaviors, such as preening, bathing and foraging, than birds kept on commercial farms. Ducks crowded tightly together in houses experience stress that can lead to feather picking, and they can overheat on hot days. At the very minimum, a house for mature ducks that have access to an outdoor pen or pasture should allow 2 to 4 square feet per bird, depending on the breed’s size. So for a flock of 10 ducks, you will need a house or shelter of approximately 20 to 40 square feet. (This does not include storage space for supplies, which are best housed in a separate shed.) Birds confined full time need at least twice that much space — more, if possible. Remember, too, that doors for ducks to pass through must be wide enough that the birds won’t trample one another when moving in and out of the house.
If you don’t clean your duck enclosure daily, manure and filth will build up. This accumulation is not only unsightly and smelly but also unhealthy for your birds, as it increases the risk of parasite and disease transmission. So when planning outer yards, remember that larger, less-packed pens will stay cleaner longer than small, overpopulated ones. If you rotate yards or use portable pens that can be moved from place to place, you can probably get by with less roomy digs for your ducks.
where to place the Shelter
Avoid placing your ducks’ new abode in a low spot or smack up against your neighbor’s property. Take into account, too, how far away you plan to store your cleaning supplies and feed and where the nearest electrical outlet and water spigot are. A slightly sloped site with well-draining sandy or gravelly soil is ideal. Take advantage of existing trees or shrubs, using them as wind breaks, as sound and visual barriers, or for shade. Plant more trees and shrubs if necessary; ducks require protection from wind-lashed snow and
rain as well as from hot summer sun.
Think about how you want to access the house and yard for cleaning, feeding, gathering eggs and watering. If you plan to keep flighted ornamental waterfowl in an aviary setting, consider doing what many zoos do: establish a safety area — a covered area that has its own entrance and exit door — adjoining the aviary. This allows you to go in and out of the aviary but prevents any birds from escaping.
How to ventilate
Ducks need to breathe oxygen, just as other animals do. Air quality can suffer in a tightly closed house, where ammonia fumes rise from manure and dust accumulates from feed and litter, adding to the feather dust and carbon dioxide given off by the ducks themselves. These pollutants can adversely affect a duck’s eyes and respiratory tract — and yours, too, if you’re working inside the duck house. Windows or slatted vents, located at the top of the building to prevent ground-level drafts, will not only add ventilation but also help eliminate moldpromoting moisture. Cover any windows or other ventilation openings with sturdy, wellattached screen or wire to prevent predators from sneaking into the house.
weatherproofing
The duck house or shelter should have a decent roof to shield against rain and snow. Even water-loving waterfowl enjoy an opportunity to dry off now and then. If you live in an area with mild winters and summers, your duck house can probably do without insulation. But if sweltering summers or freezing winters are the norm, give your ducks access to an insulated house that keeps temperatures steady, and you’ll find that they consume less feed and produce more eggs and meat.
Adult ducks don’t normally need artificial heating, especially if they have buddies to huddle up to during cold weather. In a pinch, you can pile bales of straw or hay around the house for insulation. During hot weather, you may need to set up a sprinkler or misting system if your birds show signs of heat stress, such as panting. If you keep your ducks in outside yards and pastures, remember to
provide them with shade, either natural or constructed, so that they can escape the sun. Trees, shrubs, wood shelters and tarps can also double as shelters from rain and snow.
flooring, litter AND SUBSTRATE
Duck house floors commonly consist of cement, packed dirt or wood. Cement, though probably the costliest option, works well for keeping rodents and other predators from tunneling into the house. A cement floor is simple to clean with a hose and scrub brush, provided it is properly graded to prevent puddle-forming dips. Cover the cement with a soft layer of litter to soak up the moisture in the ducks’ droppings (droppings are about 90 percent water). Litter will also protect your ducks’ feet, which are smoother and more sensitive than tough chicken feet and easily get abrasions from a hard surface. Dirt and wooden floors also require bedding to absorb moisture. A cushiony litter will help your birds stay warm during winter, too.
Litter should consist of a clean, dry, absorbent material such as nontoxic pine shavings, quality hardwood chips (other than walnut, which is potentially toxic), crushed corn cobs and rice hulls. Many farmers use straw, but it’s less absorbent than other materials. Steer clear of grass or legume hays for bedding; these can quickly turn moldy.
Some raisers keep ducks in wire-floored cages, particularly for exhibition. Again, because ducks’ feet and legs are susceptible to injury, make sure that the wire you use has no sharp edges and that the mesh size is no larger than one inch by half an inch in size. Sprinkling litter in part of the cage will give the birds a comfortable place to sit if the wire hurts their feet.
Outer pens and yards located on bare soil with poor drainage often require an added substrate to keep the ducks from trampling and dabbling the ground to mud. Mud not only makes for unsightly lodgings and dirty plumage but also teems with bacteria and fungal organisms, some of which can cause health problems. During wet weather, the nutrients, sediments and bacteria from mud and droppings run off into surface and ground waters, polluting wetlands and drinking water. Good substrate materials include sand, pea gravel, straw, sawdust and a combination of these materials.
feeders AND waterers
When outfitting your duck digs with feeders and waterers, choose containers that are durable, easy to clean and stable enough that the ducks can’t flip them over in their enthusiasm to get to the food or water. Feed stores and livestock or poultry supply companies carry a plethora of poultry feeders and waterers to choose from. You’ll also find round, shallow pans for general livestock use; they are made of rubber or hard plastic and make long-lasting, stable water containers and feed dishes. Check out thrift stores and yard sales for tough stainless steel pans and bowls if you want to save money. Ducks aren’t picky.
While almost anything that works for chickens will suffice for ducks, remember that waterfowl have larger, broader bills than pointy-beaked chickens, so make sure the feeder and waterer you choose have wide enough troughs. Allow plenty of feeder space so all of your ducks, high- and low-ranking alike, can eat at the same time. Water containers should be at least 3 inches deep so the
birds can submerge their heads to keep their eyes and nostrils clean and healthy. To help keep litter dry in the duck house, consider placing waterers in an outer yard. If your ducks spend the night in the house and have food available to them, however, they’ll also need water to prevent them from choking on the feed. You can avoid some of the inevitable mess by setting the containers on mesh or on wooden slats.
nest Sites
Although domestic dabbling ducks have a tendency to drop their eggs anywhere, some will make nests on the ground. To increase your chances of getting clean eggs, set up nest boxes at ground level along the sides of the house or pen, and bed them with shavings or straw. You can even build a nest box area into the duck house itself (of course, there’s no guarantee your ducks will opt to use the nest boxes). Provide at least one 12-by-12-inch (or larger, if needed) nest box for every four birds. If building a box from wood, leave one end open, and nail a 2- to 3-inch strip of wood along the bottom edge of the open end.
This will help keep the nesting material and eggs inside the box. Plastic dog kennels with the doors removed, covered kitty litter boxes and barrels set on their sides can also serve as nest sites. Wild Muscovies nest in tree cavities or elevated nest boxes, such as those used for wood ducks; domestic Muscovies will nest just about anywhere, as long as it’s somewhat dark and secluded.
protecting your flock with fencing
Secure fencing is the first line of defense against a variety of predators. Fencing also keeps your flock from wandering off and from invading duckprohibited zones such as your newly planted vegetable garden. Take a trip to your local feed or building supply store, and you’ll encounter a bewildering variety of fencing material: chicken wire, electric wire fencing, woven-wire field fence with graduated openings, chain-link fencing, welded wire of all gauges and heights, nonclimb horse mesh, light electric poultry mesh and more.
Wild predators tend to go for prey that’s easily obtained, so think in terms of making it as hard as possible to reach your ducks. For starters, surrounding your property with tight woven-wire field fencing, sturdy horse mesh or chain-link at least five feet in height will help ward off wandering dogs and hunting coyotes, especially when combined with electric hotwire fencing. Dogs and coyotes will gladly crawl or dig under fences, so make sure your fence reaches the ground (you may need to bury the bottom part of it), and regularly check the fence line for holes. An inside buffer fence, if you can manage one, provides additional security. Avoid leaving gaps around or under gates and pen doors where predators or ducks can squeeze through.
Inner fences employed only to contain, separate, or exclude your ducks can be shorter (two feet in height would suffice), unless you keep a breed adept at flying. The heftier duck breeds don’t jump as high as chickens do. Electrified plastic poultry mesh works well to confine your ducks during rotational grazing on pasture, when you want to easily move the flock from area to area. If you keep ducks that excel at flying, such as bantam or ornamental breeds, cover their enclosures with aviary or game bird netting. Installed over the top of a duck yard, netting has the added benefit of helping prevent losses to aerial predators such as owls and eagles.
When fencing duck yards, beware of chicken wire: it’s not very strong and tends to sag, making it a poor choice for predator protection. Combining small-diameter (one-half-inch) chicken wire with a sturdy, larger-gauge welded wire works well for keeping out rats, weasels, and raccoons that will reach inside to snag sleeping fowl. Whatever fencing you choose, make sure the wire gauge of your fence is appropriate for the ducks you keep. Field fence may hold Muscovies, but it won’t keep a call duck from slipping through. Ducklings require special caution — they squirm through amazingly tiny openings and often can’t seem to find their way back home.
Cleaning AND maintenance
Design your flock’s house and yard with ease of cleaning in mind. It should be located conveniently close to a water spigot and the shed where you stash sanitation equipment and litter. If you have to enter to clean it, the house should have enough head room so you won’t knock yourself silly on a roof support. Picking up after your messy flock may not rank as one of the most pleasant chores you’ll ever do, but it’s an important one that will help prevent disease and parasite transmission. It will also keep the country air on your farm smelling fresh. Cleaning methods for duck houses vary depending on how many birds are kept in the house and how big a mess they make.
Daily, weekly & monthly Upkeep
If you have time each day, you can opt for spot cleaning, then follow up with complete removal and replacement of the litter once a week or monthly. Another popular technique used for ducks and other livestock is the deep litter system. It involves regularly stirring up the old bedding and adding a fresh blanket of litter over the top. The shavings, hulls or straw mingled with duck manure at the bottom begin to compost, generating heat that helps keep the birds warm during winter. Once a year, usually in the summer, the whole works is shoveled out and left in a pile until the composting process is complete. This nitrogen-rich soil amendment can be used as mulch for your garden.
Annual maintenance
The yearly muck-out is also a good time to give the house a scrubbing with warm, soapy water to remove dirt and dried manure. Follow this up with a disinfectant or sanitizer used according to directions. Rinse all surfaces well before allowing birds access, allow to dry, and you’re ready to start piling on the litter again. It’s extremely important to clean and disinfect the house when changing over flocks, too.
Duck yards also need cleaning. If you use sand or pea gravel as a substrate, a brisk raking is all it takes to rid the pen of manure and feathers. To conserve sand, you can drill small holes into a big shovel head to make a nifty sifter that captures droppings and debris while letting the sand fall through. Check feeding and watering areas regularly to see if the sand needs changing; moist sand mixed with feed becomes black and foul-smelling, not to mention unsanitary. The pen’s substrate should be changed completely as needed — usually once a year.
DUCK ponds
When most of us think of farm duck ponds, we imagine a pool of sparkling, clean water ringed with cattails and flowers and alive with brighteyed, quacking ducks.
In the real world, ducks produce copious droppings, flatten vegetation with their big feet, and spend their days dabbling and drilling for worms and other edibles in the dirt, turning it to mud. Set a flock of ducks loose on a little pond that has no inlet, outlet, or pump and filtration system, and you’ll have a mucky mess in no time, as mud and droppings accumulate. Build a poorly designed and difficult-to-clean artificial pond, and you’ll eventually have the same problem. Your idyllic duck pond will not only become an eyesore and a source of unsavory odors, but it may also pose a health threat to your feathered friends.
A natural lake or pond can work well for ducks, provided there’s an inlet and an outlet to refresh the water and the water quality is good. Be careful not to overstock; one source lists 100 birds per acre of water as the absolute maximum. If you choose to build a pond, keep in mind that a permit may be required before you can construct one on your property; contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service and local government offices to find out what permits and regulations apply. You’ll find them listed in the white pages of your local phone book.