How do you keep a ducks sleeping area clean?

[Mystic Vampyre]

Hi guys. Just wondering how everyone keeps their ducks sleeping area clean? I have 4 Young Pekins and everyday l have to pull out all the straw as its wet/damp and very poop fulled. Lol.
Anyone have suggestions or photos please?
Thank you.

 

[TLWR]

My duck house was built with cleaning daily in mind. I let the girls out, open the roof and hose it out.

When they are laying, they have a bin full of pine straw. I add to that when it starts to get soiled (some nights they are good about not pooping in the bin)

 

[June2012]

I've heard of many people adding sand into their duck coops. Here's a picture:

This is for chickens, but it should apply to ducks very well. This thread is also useful!! So basically, what you want is construction sand and use a rake with something that can shift through it to catch the poop in the sand. Sort of like a big kitty scooper, or you can use just a kitty scooper. Whatever you prefer.

Personally, I would suggest putting gravel underneath the sand to let it drain well. I'm working out the kinks in what I want for my duck coop's drainage too. =)

EDIT: This thread also helped me!

 

[Amiga]

I use pine shavings, not the coarse ones, the thinner ones.

The base is actually indoor flooring - it can be mopped if needed.

I sprinkle a bit of diatomaceous earth around the edges - where the wall and floor meet, to discourage bugs.

I sprinkle a bit of Sweet PDZ to discourage formation of ammonia.

I put down 3 or 4 inches of shavings.

Every day, once a day, I do room service. I spot pick the poops, and pick up the bedding at the entrance area of the water station. Takes me 15, at most 20 minutes.

As needed (may be every two weeks or so, just depends), I pull out the bedding and replace it. I may pull out bedding in a third of the night pen, then the next day do another third, and then another to reduce the amount of time and effort in one day. Bedding around where I put the food bowl needs replacing the most often.

 

[Mystic Vampyre]

So the best place to put their food is outside the sleeping area, but under cover?

 

[Miss Lydia]

So the best place to put their food is outside the sleeping area, but under cover?

That's what I do they are way to messy to have food and water inside.

 

[Mystic Vampyre]

@Miss Lydia
Well its only pellets inside the sleeping area. Should l move them out from the bed? And water is a bucket with water nipples underneath and that is on the outside the bed area.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Miss Lydia
Well its only pellets inside the sleeping area. Should l move them out from the bed? And water is a bucket with water nipples underneath and that is on the outside the bed area.

I don't understand what you mean move them out from the bed? and nipples are okay but they need to be able to wash their nares out so they need a bucket for head dunking

 

[Mystic Vampyre]

Sorry yes they have a bucket of water aswell.

To the left in the photo is a cage. To the left of the cage is tge sleeping box (or bed) where its full of straw or wood shavings. Inside there is there container of pellets.
-should l move them out from their? Are they pooping heaps in the bed area coz of the food being in there?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry yes they have a bucket of water aswell.


To the left in the photo is a cage. To the left of the cage is tge sleeping box (or bed) where its full of straw or wood shavings. Inside there is there container of pellets.
-should l move them out from their? Are they pooping heaps in the bed area coz of the food being in there?

If you can keep their food dry I'd just take both food and water out, they don't need either at night so just put food up in a secure place at night so you don't draw rodent and predators. That is a nice set up for them.