Duck shelter bedding?

[dreamofwinter]

I'm new to ducks, and have 3 who are almost 6 months old (Cayuga, Blue Swedish, White Crested). They are such a delight! Except for one thing... the mess in their sleeping shelter.
They range in an enclosed (electric poultry net) yard during daylight hours, and at night are locked in an 8x16 predator-proof run. Inside the run, they have a large doghouse where they sleep. It's very sweet to see them piled in there, with one guarding the entrance.
The run is about 4" deep in straw and old leaves (they share this area with the chickens). Their doghouse is bedded with straw, though lately 've been putting a layer of shavings underneath for extra absorbency.

I had heard that ducks will not poop where they sleep, but that's clearly incorrect So my question is, what do others use for bedding in their ducks' sleep-space? Is straw and frequent cleanouts the best option? I don't mind the frequent cleaning most of the time but I know it will be miserable in deep Maine winter. Also, they aren't laying yet, and while I'd really like them to lay in their doghouse I suspect they'll just leave egg surprises around the run for me instead

 

[Aunt Angus]

I use pine shavings and change it pretty frequently. My ducks sleep in the coop with my chickens, even though they have a nice duckie house. When the floor gets too dirty for my liking (which is very often), I sweep the shavings into the run where they get turned under in the deep litter. But I am open to suggestions - haha! Duckies are messy

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Runners took forever to learn the coop was for sleeping and laying eggs. They would just let them fall out where ever. As for bedding I use deep shavings in their coops. I scoop out the wet poopy stuff daily and add fresh when needed. My ducks share a coop with the chickens here too. Poop boards for the chickens so they don't poop on the ducks.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My Runners took forever to learn the coop was for sleeping and laying eggs. They would just let them fall out where ever. As for bedding I use deep shavings in their coops. I scoop out the wet poopy stuff daily and add fresh when needed. My ducks share a coop with the chickens here too. Poop boards for the chickens so they don't poop on the ducks.

Poop boards work great... unless the duckies sleep on them. Every once in a while, I'll find them sleeping UNDER the chickens! I set up this coop before I got the ducks. My next coop will be different, with the poop boards raised a bit higher.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah poop boards should be up under the roosts. I did have a Muscovy who decided the one poop board was a good place to brood. She hatched her ducklings on it and was not happy when I made her move.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My setup is perfect for my chickens. Not so great for my ducks. I have a large shed that I converted to a coop. The roosts are only 9 in above the floor because I have a big Cochin who kept hurting her feet jumping and refused to use the ramp I made her when the roosts were higher. The poop board is ground level with a lip to keep the PDZ in. The duckies will sometimes sleep in the PDZ. I am getting ready to rebuild the entire bird area, including a new coop (which will be another converted shed). I will probably make a ladder-type roost with the bottom area blocked off to keep the ducks out of the PDZ.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I'm new to ducks, and have 3 who are almost 6 months old (Cayuga, Blue Swedish, White Crested). They are such a delight! Except for one thing... the mess in their sleeping shelter.
They range in an enclosed (electric poultry net) yard during daylight hours, and at night are locked in an 8x16 predator-proof run. Inside the run, they have a large doghouse where they sleep. It's very sweet to see them piled in there, with one guarding the entrance.
The run is about 4" deep in straw and old leaves (they share this area with the chickens). Their doghouse is bedded with straw, though lately 've been putting a layer of shavings underneath for extra absorbency.

I had heard that ducks will not poop where they sleep, but that's clearly incorrect So my question is, what do others use for bedding in their ducks' sleep-space? Is straw and frequent cleanouts the best option? I don't mind the frequent cleaning most of the time but I know it will be miserable in deep Maine winter. Also, they aren't laying yet, and while I'd really like them to lay in their doghouse I suspect they'll just leave egg surprises around the run for me instead

As my ducks got older they got better about not pooping in the house. However, that goes out the window on really cold nights or when my drake is being a jerk. I think shavings with hay or straw on top with daily small cleaning is your best bet. I have plastic bins (like rubber made under the bed storage and dish pans) in my duck house. It make dumping old shavings and refilling much easier. I only add hay or straw on top in the winter. I can go weeks without having to dump a whole bin if I remove a handful of dirty shavings every couple of days. I currently have five ducks.

 

[Aunt Angus]

As my ducks got older they got better about not pooping in the house. However, that goes out the window on really cold nights or when my drake is being a jerk. I think shavings with hay or straw on top with daily small cleaning is your best bet. I have plastic bins (like rubber made under the bed storage and dish pans) in my duck house. It make dumping old shavings and refilling much easier. I only add hay or straw on top in the winter. I can go weeks without having to dump a whole bin if I remove a handful of dirty shavings every couple of days. I currently have five ducks.

That sounds just about as good as it gets!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

If only they wouldn't poop where they sleep...or on unsuspecting birds in the "line of fire".

My vote's for pine shavings, for the absorbency. I've tried pine straw, hay, straw, and leaves as deep bedding, and the shavings kept the coop drier and more pleasant-smelling (esp. the pine straw). I do like using what's available, but I found I was topping up the other materials more often than when it was just the shavings. Of course, with prices of shavings (and everything else ), increasing, it may not be the most cost-effective option.

With the cold you'd expect there, a combination of straw for the insulation plus shavings for absorbency could be a good combination. Pine pellets would be worth considering, too. Best of luck!

 

[dreamofwinter]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like I'm already using the right combo for the setup I have. I'm totally hooked on ducks and expect to have a much larger standalone duck house one day, but for now this will do
I've never seen them go into the chicken coop. I think the ramp may intimidate them as it's narrow, and I'm not sure they realize there's somewhere cozy at the end of it. It's nice because then I'm not contending with duck moisture in the coop!