Duck coop/run suggestions

[HMR1014]

This is our first year with ducks and I was pretty proud of our duck coop/run until I realized how hard pea gravel is to clean. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a better flooring? I was contemplating putting fake grass over top or moving to some sort of pavers.

Also, any suggestions for a filter or pond pump? We tried making one using an idea we found on the forums here but it just didn't work.

I've attached a few pictures of the coop. The first two are of the initial layout and the last is when we added the built in pond. We're also in the process of building a different house so we can get rid of the playhouse.

 

[Jenbirdee]

wow i think it’s a really nice set up !
can’t you just hose off the pea gravel? duck poop seems to magically disappear when sprayed with a hose, lol

 

[HMR1014]

wow i think it’s a really nice set up !
can’t you just hose off the pea gravel? duck poop seems to magically disappear when sprayed with a hose, lol

wow i think it’s a really nice set up !
can’t you just hose off the pea gravel? duck poop seems to magically disappear when sprayed with a hose, lol

Thanks! And yes I do usually spray it down but I feel like it just doesn't clean as much as I'd like. Sometimes I have to shovel out the pea gravel in their favorite spots because they congregate there frequently. We're also in PA so now that the temps are dropping its getting harder to use the hose. I was thinking pavers may be easier to clean because they're a smoother surface but I wanted to see if anyone had experience with them first.

 

[telandra2]

I have a cement floor coop. It's in a spot I don't want to hose down and shovel and sweep works well enough. Gunk does get stuck in the texture grooves which I imagine would be worse with pavers. Maybe free chipdrop wood chips on top of the pavers for cushion, absorption, and looks?

 

[Awaytome]

I have some pavers in the water area of my duck pen to help keep mud out of the water bowls until I find something better. They need to be hosed off daily. I don't really like them. Most of the pen is covered in wood stove pellets with shaved wood on top. As the pellets get wet they break down and the surface becomes cork-like, insulates from the cold ground and is easy on the ducks' feet. I just rake out the poops as best I can. In the dry area of the pen I put a deep pile of shaved wood and it's easy to pick out the poop wads, especially when they freeze. Material gets removed each time I clean the area, so every year I replace it. If we ever get a dry spell, I want to replace the pavers with stall mats that have holes in them like in the picture, so water will drain without the area becoming muddy, and keep mud out of the bowls. I put some of these mats under their kiddie pools out in the yard and it definitely reduced the mud load.

 

[countryladyNH]

DUCK/GOOSE RUN WE JUST BUILT!

The 2 of us just finished building a 'run' addition to the 'little goose coop' we built ourselves 5 years ago (with no plans, experience, fancy tools, or help!)

We had a not great, make-do, detached 'run' for several years and finally designed and built this new one onto the coop for our 3 ducks and pet goose, Gabby, and just finished! It took us only about 10 days start to finish with a lot of by hand excavating! They now have a safe, attached run with a little door for them into their coop.
Soft river rock base is gentle on their feet and easy to clean.
(*A VET suggested river rock for ducks! It's working out great and easy to clean with hose)!

The little garden we made built into the rock patio was a great place for some excess dirt. We made a little wattle border around it and planted it with wildflower mixed seeds.

We designed our goose coop to blend with our 250 year old house and we think the run compliments it as well...Everything was done by us on a budget and cost far less than anything pre-made and we think it's much nice too. The girls love it!