Building the Coop
When planning a duck coop or house, consider that ducks are quite a bit larger than chickens. We planned for at least 4 square feet per grown bird and built our duck house with a 4 x 6 ft. floor for our 5 ducks. (4 x 6 is actually 24 square feet which would be enough for 6 birds) This size seems to be about right for them although one wouldn’t want to have any more than 6 ducks in this space.
A duck coop should also be well ventilated. Because they are waterfowl, ducks often get wet and bring a lot of moisture into the coop. In these pictures, you can see how we have planned for a vent opening on top as well as two “window” openings. Ducks also need a larger door opening than chickens do. They are larger animals and are not quite as agile on their feet so having a large door and ramp for them to get in and out is important.
Ducks don’t need roosts and nest boxes the way chickens do so a duck coop can be a simple box with a flat floor. We built ours out of 2x4s and plywood. This was pretty easy and cost-effective to accomplish with simple tools. To anyone attempting a project like this we strongly recommend painting all surfaces with a durable, all-weather exterior paint before assembling.
Setting up the Run
We keep our ducks in a fenced run on what is essentially a large suburban lawn using about 50 feet of welded wire fencing. This gives them about 160 square feet and allows them to rely on the grass for food in addition to their feed and greens from our vegetable garden. This is very nutritious for them and returns Nitrogen to our deficient soil in the form of duck waste and spilled feed.
Unfortunately, it also means they can damage the lawn if they occupy the same area for too long. For our small flock of 5 ducks, we find that if we move them to a new area every 4 or 5 days, the ducks have a positive, fertilizing effect on the lawn. Any longer than that and the area can start to turn into a mud pit. If you don’t have the space to rotate an area like this, a permanent run works but you should plan on it getting a little muddy. Covering the area with mulch or wood chips will help with this.