Smooth Pea Gravel in Duck Yard?

[HollowOfWisps]

(Picture is from when we first built the coop)

My fenced in "duck yard" as we call it around our duck coop/run has been a little muddy with the rain we have had lately. I use pine pellets in my little coop and sand in my run, but the little yard is just dirt that gets muddy at times. On our property there is a ravine that is a huge pea gravel pit filled with gravel smooth enough that you can walk on it with your bare rather comfortably. I was thinking about filling in my fenced duck "yard" with some of the pea gravel from out back, but I was wondering if anyone else has had any luck with it? I'm bricking around their stock tank to make it look nicer and give them a wider ledge to stand on, but I also wanted to make the yard look a little cleaner/dryer. My ducks are out free ranging from 8am-7pm so they will not be standing on the gravel except when they wander in to use the tank (they have another tank out in the yard as well, but some of them prefer one tank over the other). Thanks!

 

[Quacking ducks]

I have no idea. I have the same problem. Mine is very muddy right now. Your ducks are adorable!!! I have some of the same breed I think.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I have no idea. I have the same problem. Mine is very muddy right now. Your ducks are adorable!!! I have some of the same breed I think.

Thank you! I have Fawn and White Runners, Rouen's, Hookbills and a Mallard

 

[KaleIAm]

I tried it and had lots of bumblefoot issues. My vet told me to clean it all out and go dirt and grass. She specifically said no to pea gravel. I tried to explain to her that it is so soft and round, but she told me that ducks feet are much smaller so to them it is like standing on large hard rocks all day.

After cleaning it out my bumblefoot issues resolved permanently. Though I did some other environmental changes my vet recommended at the same time, so I won't know if it was just the pea gravel. Still - I'm never using pea gravel again!

Though... It did drain beautifully. We put large pipes under their aviary that had holes in them and were wrapped in this canvas cloth. They drained about 20-30 feet away. And piled the pea gravel on top. We could just spray off the poop! I just poured the water buckets right onto the gravel and there was never any mud.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I tried it and had lots of bumblefoot issues. My vet told me to clean it all out and go dirt and grass. She specifically said no to pea gravel. I tried to explain to her that it is so soft and round, but she told me that ducks feet are much smaller so to them it is like standing on large hard rocks all day.

After cleaning it out my bumblefoot issues resolved permanently. Though I did some other environmental changes my vet recommended at the same time, so I won't know if it was just the pea gravel. Still - I'm never using pea gravel again!

Though... It did drain beautifully. We put large pipes under their aviary that had holes in them and were wrapped in this canvas cloth. They drained about 20-30 feet away. And piled the pea gravel on top. We could just spray off the poop! I just poured the water buckets right onto the gravel and there was never any mud.

That's interesting and good to keep in mind! From all of the vet literature I've read online, it seems that vets are either 100% for it or 100% against it with no majority consensus I also have a lot of sand so maybe I could put a few good inches of gravel down and then top it with sand so it's soft, but still has the drainage from the gravel

 

[KaleIAm]

That's interesting and good to keep in mind! From all of the vet literature I've read online, it seems that vets are either 100% for it or 100% against it with no majority consensus I also have a lot of sand so maybe I could put a few good inches of gravel down and then top it with sand so it's soft, but still has the drainage from the gravel

Oh I didn't know vets were not in agreement about pea gravel! That's not helpful! Lol!

When talking about substrates my vet did say sand was good for their feet, so you may be on to something! I was afraid my ducks would eat it and get impacted like pet lizards do - and she said that was a possiblity so we decided to go against that. Though I think about it occasionally.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Oh I didn't know vets were not in agreement about pea gravel! That's not helpful! Lol!

When talking about substrates my vet did say sand was good for their feet, so you may be on to something! I was afraid my ducks would eat it and get impacted like pet lizards do - and she said that was a possiblity so we decided to go against that. Though I think about it occasionally.

I have sand in their run and have yet to have any problems. However, I also bought a big plastic dog bowl mat that I keep their food dish on so if they do drop anything it's on the tray not the sand. I think I might try the gravel then sand and keep some psyllium husk on hand in case I do run into any issues.

 

[mspfluger1]

(Picture is from when we first built the coop)

My fenced in "duck yard" as we call it around our duck coop/run has been a little muddy with the rain we have had lately. I use pine pellets in my little coop and sand in my run, but the little yard is just dirt that gets muddy at times. On our property there is a ravine that is a huge pea gravel pit filled with gravel smooth enough that you can walk on it with your bare rather comfortably. I was thinking about filling in my fenced duck "yard" with some of the pea gravel from out back, but I was wondering if anyone else has had any luck with it? I'm bricking around their stock tank to make it look nicer and give them a wider ledge to stand on, but I also wanted to make the yard look a little cleaner/dryer. My ducks are out free ranging from 8am-7pm so they will not be standing on the gravel except when they wander in to use the tank (they have another tank out in the yard as well, but some of them prefer one tank over the other). Thanks!

I was told that Delaware river 3/8 pea gravel is the smoothest that you can walk on it barefoot. I'm going to put that in my pen, if that helps you at all. I've walked on it barefoot and it did not bother me at all and I have very sensitive feet