Runner duck coop layout

[CahoonCustomCutting]

In the spring I am looking to get some Indian Runner ducks for the first time. The ducks will be primarily be for egg production once the females reach maturity. The drakes will be butchered once the reach a good meal size for the wife and I.

I am looking for suggestions on how to layout my duck house and run. I know I want to bury a smaller stock tank as a small pond for the ducks, but I also need suggestion for the laying coop and what kind size I need for my run. My ducks will be spending all of the long Alberta winter in their coop and run then they will be spending the nights and when the wife and I are away the rest of the year in the coop.

Any plans, layouts, schematics, ect. will be welcome.

 

[I Love Layers]

If I was to ever get ducks again, I would have a concrete floor, with a material on the wall a few feet up the wall that could get wet. That way for cleaning after winter you can get water in there and really clean everything because ducks will make a mess. For the house itself, I would avoid having water in it all day, especially if the interior is wood, they will make a lot of damp messes on the floor, which is why concrete would be nice. If you are planning on keeping them in all the time during the winter they will need more square footage than if you were to let them out.

I live in North Dakota, not exactly the same but still cold, and when I had ducks they actually spent most of their days outside. It could be -40F and as long as they didn't have the wind on them they would sit outside in the snow all day. Even on days when we would get lots of snow they would still be sitting outside. So I wouldn't totally rule out having them outside in the winter.
As for the run size, it depends on how many you will have. Personally I would say 20-30 sq feet per duck in a run. They will very quickly kill any vegetation in their run so the bigger the better.

 

[Runner duck mom]

Weve had runner ducks for just over two years and they are such a joy, such cute and funny ducks
We are currently planning a bigger coop and run as our flock has expanded and now we have a better idea of our needs.
It depends on how many ducks you are thinking of getting as far as coop/run size.
My suggestions are to build bigger than you need or as big as you can...the more room they have the more manageable the mess.
Make the run tall enough to stand up in, trust me, ducks are messy and its much easier when you can move around to get things done (a mistake we made).
One of the best things we have done is to put a drain on their pool. They mess it up quick and its nice to pull a plug to have it empty.
With your climate I would consider keeping them close to the house in case you have to bring out water if everything is frozen. Or to run electricity to heated buckets. Also consider the weight of snow on any cover over the run.
We keep straw in the coop, they like to make nests to lay in but our climate is a bit different than yours.
We moved south to escape the cold but know how tough winters can be

 

[DuckyDonna]

Definitely make the pen tall enough for you to stand up in. Your head will thank you for it! I've got 2 pens, one short and one tall enough for me not to hit my head. I sure wish I could do something about the short pen but I don't really see how so I'll just have to deal with it. @Runner duck mom is from the cold north too. Maybe not as cold as you but she has some great points for you to consider!

 

[DiYMama540]

Sounds like you have housing figured out, now we just need to convince you to get some cute, fuzzy babies!