Farm ducks need a duck shelter
With the best of intentions, we put together a little coop for our pekin ducks to hunker down for harsh weather. It was only after putting our ducks outside, that we realized they wont actually go into their coop. In fact, the only time they go in there is when the dominant male is chasing his favorite lady and she’s trying to get away.
Well ok then.
We needed to build some sort of lean-to for keeping the food out of rain and snow, so we decided to make the three sided structure larger to also act as a duck shelter.
My hope is they will actually use it since it doesn’t make them use a door. Our winters are harsh. It is normal to be -30°F with a more severe windchill and several feet of snow. I am hoping the ducks are smart enough to get out of the wind. A lot of other people around here have not had much luck keeping ducks alive in winter.
So my motivation for a wind shelter for them is clear.
We used all scrap lumber we had laying around so we kind of just improvised as we went. We started with a frame of 2x4s with an angle on the roof. We went 4ft wide and a little over 3ft deep. We wanted it deep so that it adequately offered a wind break.
As you can see, the roof is a hodgepodge of plywood. Then We glued down a sheet of roofing shingle. We caulked around the roofing to seal the edge.
Building things ourselves is great way to spend time with the kids. Hey, they might learn something.
My husband decided to make actual siding planks for water-shedding and durability. Some of them are plywood, some press-board, and even some old closet cedar lining we found in the attic. We attached everything with carpenter screws and then added trim to protect the edges. All of the trim was just more random 1×8 boards we cut down into strips.
Once it was all together and dry, I stained and sealed the wood. I used oil based stain and sealant.
So far, it works great as a feeding pavilion. It keeps all of their food dry which is important since it rains nearly every day. The ducks have not spent much time in there, but the guineas all gladly hang out in it during heavy rain.
A couple coats of oil stain makes any old wood look nice.
I am hoping with the help of some hay, it will make a cozy alcove for them come winter.
Or if we are really lucky, maybe a few of our birds will get smart and head inside on of the four coops we have attached to the run. Sheesh.
Anyone else have dumb-dumb ducks?
Pingback: A Quick Guide to Raising Ducks • Lake and River Studio