Having added to the Aylesbury ducks with some Mallard and Pekin ducklings, it was time build a more permanent duck hut. While the Aylesbury ducks were temporarily living in the chick area, a fenced duck run was built out of 4x2 wire. The perimeter of the run is 100 feet. Despite the run being fenced and inside the orchard that is itself surrounded by an electric fence, the ducks still need to be shut up at night to be safe from predators. The hut needed to be large enough to house a number of large ducks, be robust enough for predator protection and be adequately ventilated for the hot summer months.
Looking at some of the designs on the internet it is evident that some people have way too much time on their hands. Rather than building something resembling the Taj Mahal, a simple 4x4 square frame design was used. Dog-eared fence boards were used on most of the outside since a small gap could be left between each board to allow ventilation. The same boards were used on the floor so that predators could not bury underneath. Plywood was also used on two of the sides and a large door was built to allow for easy cleaning (a lesson learned from one of the earlier chicken coops). The roof has a gradual slope to allow for a modest drain and an overhang shelters the feed container from the rain. This makes feeding easier. Pressed wood covered by roofing felt and then corrugated tin constituted the roof. The design also allowed for a ventilated panel at the front to help with airflow.
The ducks seem happy enough with their hut. Initially the Aylesbury ducks were by themselves. Then five of the Mallard ducklings were moved out on an accelerated schedule - they were making such a mess in my office it made the chicks look like they were house pets. While the Mallards kept away from the Aylesbury ducks they all go in the hut at night. Getting the ducks into the hut requires a little more wrangling than chickens.
The following pics show the hut being built on site. Some of the materials were recycled but most were bought new. The total material cost was around $150 (excluding the obligatory $10 child swimming pool sold at WalMart. This hut was definitely built to last. This is just as well since now it is built, the hut is too big to fit through the gate of the run - a slight oversight in the design process!
A simple frame design.
The Barred Rock chicks from last year are now fully grown and look on with disinterest.
Dog-eared boards being screwed on. A small gap enables good ventilation.
The extra overhang created by the roofing tin provided a sheltered storage area.
No comments:
Post a Comment