general info about a house/run

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daveinmanc

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general info about a house/run
« on: October 26, 2007, 12:21 »
my other half has dropped a few hints about keeping 2  ducks. . . i'm doing some in the background research without her knowledge and i've got a fairly good idea in my head what i think i'll build.

seen a number of houses that people on the site have made so i'm going to go for something along the lines of this - and please tell me if anything i'm thinking of is unsuitable or unnecessary . . . .  

the 'house' would be 18 inch to 2 foot off the ground with an access ramp, the main part of the house would be 4 to 5 foot wide and around 3 to 4 foot tall?  with a nesting box, (coming off the back) with 18'' space for each bird, divided in the middle? and a hinged lid for cleaning access. and a pirch? now should this be a 'shelf' or just a 'beam' (length of baton?)to balance on?
 the main 'front' would also have a large hinged door for cleaning too.

the run, around 4 foot tall, 8 foot long ??? was thinking i could hinge the complete top so it opens to allow you to walk in and clean without stooping.

the gardens pretty big and room isn't  a problem so if you think i need to increase any dimensions let me know.  also thinking of burying some of the mesh into the ground where the frame will meet the ground to stop any roaming foxes trying to dig down? prevention being better than a cure and all that  . . . . .

any and all ideas appreciated ! thank you   :wink:  :wink:

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muntjac

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2007, 12:23 »
a slatted floor for ducks is a bonus .make the gaps a 1/4 inch /makes for great washing down :wink:
still alive /............

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daveinmanc

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2007, 12:26 »
t & g with 1/4 inch gaps be ok?

is this cos they tend to erm plop a lot lol

thought they might need some bedding/straw on the floor for warmth??

i could actually hinge the bottom to drop down if this is practical??

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Aunt Sally

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Re: general info about a house/run
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2007, 14:28 »
Quote from: "daveinmanc"
with a nesting box, (coming off the back) with 18'' space for each bird, divided in the middle? and a hinged lid for cleaning access.

I know zip about ducks, but I did think they won't use a nest box  :?

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daveinmanc

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2007, 14:33 »
won't they need a small area for laying eggs?? i thought thats why the nesting boxes were always separate from the main area of the house? i just kind of presumed that they did this to keep the hens/ducks apart so they could sit and lay without the threat of another bird seeing the eggs?? maybe i'm way off the mark  . . . .  lol

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Aunt Sally

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2007, 14:37 »
We've quite a few duck keepers on here that will put you straight, but I though they dropped them wherever they fancied  :evil:

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Bodger

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2007, 14:39 »
Ducks just lay straight onto the floor wherever they fancy. For this reason a good thickness of straw or shavings is essential. If you have a number of ducks they will tend to lay in one place and then cover them with the bending but not always.

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muntjac

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2007, 14:47 »
mine layed in cardboard bed pans  :wink:  :lol:

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daveinmanc

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2007, 14:50 »
so the inside of the 'house' could just be a straightforward 'box' with a breather at the top and a door for cleaning access then ? simple as that?

don't mind doing the work on it at all but if i'm overcomplicating it for no good reason  . . . . . . . .

would they need a pirch then or is that more a chickeny thing  :lol:

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Aunt Sally

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2007, 14:58 »
Chooky I think,  <<calls>> Bodger  :wink:

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muntjac

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2007, 14:58 »
no perch :wink:

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Aunt Sally

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2007, 14:59 »
Thought you were out cleaning your wet wellies Munty  :lol:

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muntjac

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2007, 15:00 »
newspaper comes in useful , rubbish reading tho  :wink:

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Bodger

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2007, 15:06 »
Its as simple as posssible for ducks. The books say that you should have as wide a door as possible but that could because they were short of something to say.
They want as gentle a sloping ramp as possible as they are prone to foot and leg damage. Make it as easy as you can for yourself to get in there and clean.
Some strips of wood across the ramp will help to stop them slipping.

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daveinmanc

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general info about a house/run
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2007, 16:20 »
thanks for all the replies  :D

think i will take another look and make it simpler, that should make it easier to clean too, already seen some good designs and saved a few pics to go off so i may well just start building next week if i have time  :)



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