Duck run dimensions.

[Maddog_photog]

Hey y’all!

I'm in the planning portion of constructing a duck coop for my four (possibly more) ducks!
My plan on usage is one structure split in two: one house for 2x Pekins (one boy/one girl) and one house for 2x Swedish Blue (both males). An idea I got from @Duck mommy 2019 is to alternate each pair to free roam each day. One pair on day 1, second pair free range day 2, etc etc.

The info I need is estimated dimensions for said coop to keep duck happiness up and price down. I recall reading that ducks require less space than chickens, I cannot recall actual numbers though.
Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

Hey y’all!

I'm in the planning portion of constructing a duck coop for my four (possibly more) ducks!
My plan on usage is one structure split in two: one house for 2x Pekins (one boy/one girl) and one house for 2x Swedish Blue (both males). An idea I got from @Duck mommy 2019 is to alternate each pair to free roam each day. One pair on day 1, second pair free range day 2, etc etc.

The info I need is estimated dimensions for said coop to keep duck happiness up and price down. I recall reading that ducks require less space than chickens, I cannot recall actual numbers though.
Any help is much appreciated!

how long will they stay in the coop each day?

 

[Maddog_photog]

how long will they stay in the coop each day?

34 hours... I put Pair A in after a day of free ranging, they stay inside the coop 34 hours while Pair B is out free ranging the next day, then Pair A is let out to free range on the third day. Check my math... (sundown is about 8PM here) ( Dux let out on days I work at 6:15AM, 9:30 days I’m off)

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

34 hours... I put Pair A in after a day of free ranging, they stay inside the coop 34 hours while Pair B is out free ranging the next day, then Pair A is let out to free range on the third day. Check my math... (sundown is about 8PM here) ( Dux let out on days I work at 6:15AM, 9:30 days I’m off)

anyway you could also make a run? they each get their own coop, but during the day one pair free ranges and one gets to hang out in the run. that way nobody is stuck in a coop for too long

 

[Maddog_photog]

anyway you could also make a run? they each get their own coop, but during the day one pair free ranges and one gets to hang out in the run. that way nobody is stuck in a coop for too long

What if I did one pair free range - one pair in the run, and alternate run use too?

 

[LT71689]

Are you splitting them up because you cant/dont want to get enough females to keep the males from fighting? You might go through all this construction/modification and find it still doesnt work, if they can see/hear the girl they might still fight, or the one caged with the girl may get too aggressive with her.


Anyway. I've seen a lot of people say 4sq ft per duck, I've seen people do smaller if they're planning on lots of run/free range time, but if you're keeping them cooped up on alternating days you'd want to err on the side of bigger is better to give them space to themselves

 

[Maddog_photog]

Are you splitting them up because you cant/dont want to get enough females to keep the males from fighting? You might go through all this construction/modification and find it still doesnt work, if they can see/hear the girl they might still fight, or the one caged with the girl may get too aggressive with her.


Anyway. I've seen a lot of people say 4sq ft per duck, I've seen people do smaller if they're planning on lots of run/free range time, but if you're keeping them cooped up on alternating days you'd want to err on the side of bigger is better to give them space to themselves

Over mating is my main issue. I’m considering adopting additional females for the male/female pairing. We’ll see.