[darrena]

I am about to build a Duck house to hold two female Welsh Harlequins which will be kept as family pets and an egg supply.
I was wondering if the ducks will require both a water and food supply inside their house and if it is necessary any advice on the best way to this use the least amount of space.

Also is it necessary to have seperate bed area's like for example a a rabbit hutch or should it just be an open area?

Any advice greatly appreciated as space is at a premium.

Many Thanks
Darren

[Vember]

Hi Darren

They can be left without food and water over night if they are adult birds But must be let out fairly early if you do this

An open plan house is fine they will pick a corner that they will lay their eggs in

Have you seen Kate and her Ducks pics of her house? she has done a fab job I'll see if I can find them for you
Here we go :

This is mine.

Sarah

[Kate and her Ducks]

That's my second duck house. I bought a posh duck ark and they never liked it. Not a good use of space, a pain to clean and cost a fortune. This is a converted garden storage chest that cost me £85 plus the cost of a hinge and a cabin hook. The ramp cost me a couple of quid and if it's on the ground you wounln't need it. The only difference now to the picture is I got round to putting the roof felt on and I doubled up the ramp to fill the gap by the fence as they kept falling down it!

Inside there is nothing fancy at all, just a thick layer of bedding o keep them toasty warm at night.

[violet]

I bought a couple of small preformed plastic dog kennels (small size) I out straw in for bedding...There isn't a door with this ssort of thing so unless area is fox proof there could be a disaster... as I have mentioned before ours were older ducks when we got them and never having been closed in at night before they almost went crazy when I tried!

They do sleep in the kennels sometimes and sometimes lay eggs in there...Have to say have started laying wherever the hens have shuffled up the soil during the day!