Night duck coop - size? Structure?

[Maddog_photog]

Hey y’all! I’m lookin to build a duck coop for 4 ducks (2x Swedish, 2x Pekin). The plan in my head is an immobile coop against the back fence, wood/ 1/4” hardware cloth/plastic lattice going a depth into the ground on at least 3 sides. Gotta see if the cinder blocks at the base of the fence go into the ground or not. My initial questions for you is:
1) how deep do the sides of the enclosure need to go into the ground to be effective against predatory digging?
2) how big of an enclosure for my 4 ducks to just stay in overnight? I would like to free range them during the daytime, and just house them overnight.

 

[hugitnotnugget]

Hey y’all! I’m lookin to build a duck coop for 4 ducks (2x Swedish, 2x Pekin). The plan in my head is an immobile coop against the back fence, wood/ 1/4” hardware cloth/plastic lattice going a depth into the ground on at least 3 sides. Gotta see if the cinder blocks at the base of the fence go into the ground or not. My initial questions for you is:
1) how deep do the sides of the enclosure need to go into the ground to be effective against predatory digging?
2) how big of an enclosure for my 4 ducks to just stay in overnight? I would like to free range them during the daytime, and just house them overnight.

Having a tough floor is definitely important. We had a few predators burrow in through the dirt floor our first year. Ducks seem to lay together at night and don’t seem to like to sleep far apart. How you build it depends on the climate of your area. If it gets real hot in the summer than you probably want a window made of chicken wire so you can open up the coop on hot nights. Ducks lose their heat through their feet so when they lay on them at night they can get hot. If it’s really cold in the winter you might want to insulate your coop and have it smaller so it stays warmer. Best of luck!

 

[Maddog_photog]

Having a tough floor is definitely important. We had a few predators burrow in through the dirt floor our first year. Ducks seem to lay together at night and don’t seem to like to sleep far apart. How you build it depends on the climate of your area. If it gets real hot in the summer than you probably want a window made of chicken wire so you can open up the coop on hot nights. Ducks lose their heat through their feet so when they lay on them at night they can get hot. If it’s really cold in the winter you might want to insulate your coop and have it smaller so it stays warmer. Best of luck!

I’m in So Cal, so weather is least of my worries. I’ll have dirt flooring therefore I’ll have to bury the bottom of the walls into the ground to discourage digging. I’m thinking I may have to split the house in two, because I know I have 1 drake and 1 hen, and I don’t know the sexes of my other two straight run dux. I’m hoping for two hens, then the split house won’t be necessary.