Remodeling Duck Area...Ideas Please?

[Evadig]

I could not tolerate the mud anymore in the Muddy Run. I tore out the entire duck area, but now I need to rebuild.

• The soil is heavy clay.
• The roof leaks (it will be redone at some point, hopefully).
• The ducks have to stay in here for days sometimes due to weather or predators, so I want to have a pool.
• There needs to be room for a hallway.

Here's what it looks like right now.

This is what I was thinking about...

I could also do a wooden floor like I have already instead of the construction sand, so that I can just spray it off, but I would need to keep the water from seeping into the hallway and making that a mess.

Please let me know what y'all think! I need to get this done by the end of the week...

 

[Jenbirdee]

I don’t like wood it gets slippery
(tried it)
I do like sand and gravel, especially mixed together
(have used it in wet areas for years)
Recently, I am also using pine pellet bedding when it gets wet it turns into this nice fine pine mix , i like it.
I also like for pathways the outdoor rugs they sell for boats
I get them at Lowe’s. They’re green and made out of recycled 2 L soda bottles.
They make excellent pathways

I have heard other people suggest horse stall mats
They have those at places like tractor supply too
But I’ve never tried them
You can put layers of gravel with the horse stall mats over them, so the water goes through and then drains.

You can try all these things in different sides of your run. See what works best for you. It will be a fun adventure. ?

edit to add: looks good that you put the pool on the end so you can dump the water outside of the run. If you’re on a hill, always keep the pool on the low side and dump the water away from the run. (sounds obvious, but I had to learn the hard way.)

oh, and one more thing, I also use some pavers… i get the square red stones , to make paths too.
my soil is also heavy clay. I live in Maryland close to Delaware. Clay clay clay.

 

[QueenieBelleB]

I agree with @jenbirde that you will have to try things out and find out what you like and the wood seems awful.

I have clay dirt. My coop is on a hill. I also have a large fully secure run coop that my birds stay in 24/7. I did oversize my coop of 4 ducks. I recently increased to 9 so we will see how this set up still works.

I put river rocks about 1/3 of the coop where their bathtub is. I also used pavers recently. I had to add more rocks since the others eventually sink down. So I'm thinking this is a continuous thing of adding rocks every year.

The other 2/3 is straw. I have tarps over 2/3 coop to make sure much rain does not get on the straw.

This set up has worked for me.

I did try horse pellets over the rocks and that was horrid. I will never use the horse pellets in my coop again. I just figured now I will have to add rocks every now and then.

I need to add more straw to my coop currently.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

In the hut I have pea gravel and fake turf over it-spray it off daily. In winter I will be putting down a horse stall mat over the gravel and straw/pine shavings over it. Spraying it off wont be an option anymore.

The outside where their pools are I got wood chips from the local mill and it SAVED that area.

Trial and error is key...what works for some doesn't for others.

 

[QueenieBelleB]

In the hut I have pea gravel and fake turf over it-spray it off daily. In winter I will be putting down a horse stall mat over the gravel and straw/pine shavings over it. Spraying it off wont be an option anymore.

The outside where their pools are I got wood chips from the local mill and it SAVED that area.

Trial and error is key...what works for some doesn't for others.

I just read somewhere else that they use fake turf over the rocks. I am going to give it a try. I think it will help make it more soft on the ducks feet.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

I am not sure where you are located but I got a 4x8 piece for like $20 at Menards. Used it all summer. Drains well, but my rocks are about 8" deep...

I just read somewhere else that they use fake turf over the rocks. I am going to give it a try. I think it will help make it more soft on the ducks feet.

 

[Evadig]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

So far I have pretty much followed my drawing…I have a box of hay, then a sandbox, then a platform that I’ll put the water on.

I can take out the platform if I can get figure out a better water system.