The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Blueeyes on October 02, 2012, 06:00:23 pm
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Hiya, looking for a bit of advice, we have 4 ducks that have a large night time enclosure (fox proof) and an even larger day time enclosure, we have tried wood chip as flooring for them with a seperate gravel area where their pool is, but the wood chip just seems to disappear into the mud when we have heavy rain.
So any suggestions as to what would make a good floor covering?
I put a post on here regarding an article in the country smallholding magazine recommending rubber chippings but I'm guessing this isn't commonly used as I didn't get any replies.
Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated ;D
Blueeyes x
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Yes, I saw that rubber chippings advert - wasn't sure about that at all, they might eat them was my first thought.
We keep lots of ducks but in a very different situation to your so don't have this problem - however, I use plastic grid mesh for the outside of our goats pen - its the stuff you buy off a role at the garden centre - usually green or black and you can put it around young trees etc - perhaps if you put a length of the smaller gauge type under the chippings (and on top of the mud), it would help - you can then just lift the mat/length each week and your chippings will still be on the top - throw them away and replace with fresh.
We use it to stop our goaties sinking in the mud and getting it stuck in between their toes. Works quite well.
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I used to have a lawn, but the recent and long-term wet weather made it very pleassant for the ducks to create a mud heaven....I found the only thing that stops the sinking feeling is to create pathways with pebbles collected from the veg beds. They do sink down eventually but there's always more stepping stones to be found... ::) :&>
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Yes their enclosures used to be grass but it didn't last long! They seem to love the mud but I don't think it can be good for them to be stood/sat in mud, think it will be some thick weed control and more bark chippings put down, might extend the gravel areas too, just always think it can't be comfortable on their little webbed feet :-\
Thanks for the replies ;D
Blueeyes x
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my ducks roam free dring the day, but at night they have an enclosure with a dog kennel to go in for shelter.
on the ground in the outside bit of their pen i have some rubber matting down, works well,
it does sink into the ground where the moles have made tunnels, but this just makes nice paddling pools! i just sweep it out every morning.
my geese have the same arrangement.
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:wave: Hi, Our ducks and chickens used to roam free until a couple of weeks ago when a buzzard killed our Matilda duck - bit of a shock as was more concerned with foxes! Only come out under supervision at the moment which is a pity. Our duck enclosure is terrible due to the heavy rain and is almost an entire mud bath - I'm concerned about the ducks if it keeps as wet as this - surely it can't be good for them all the time! I noticed the rubber things in the mag as well and wondered what they were like. Will have to keep thinking - would the pebbles etc not hurt/damage their webbed feet?
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I don't have pebbles everywhere, just where there is a lot of mud...the ducks seem to manage just fine, I make sure there a no sharp ones, just round pebbels. And as they sink eventually.... ::) :&>
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;D So basically all ducks are just mucky little bu**ers ;D So very cute tho, think I might need to buy shares in a wood chipping company.
Hmm just a thought could wood chips be used from a log cutter or do they need to be treated or processed or something? Or would they be too sharp?
Any thoughts?
Blueeyes x
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Shouldn't need treated provided they have nothing on them in the first place and if they're too sharp the ducks will let you know by being hesitant about crossing them. We had gravel in our last place and the ducks used to take a detour to avoid it.
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I was told not to use wood chips fro ducks as they would eat them and get stuck in the gullet. Particularly not to use treated ones as there's something in the chemicals they use that's poisonous to birds. No idea what it is though.
My ducks (pre fox kill) were in a large enclosure that was grass to start with and ended up slimy mud. I used the rubber door mats you get from supermarkets (about £3 each) as a path to their dog kennel and cage - needed about 6 I think. The mud didn't seem to bother them, and they free ranged on my front grassy paddock during the day. I curse myself every day for leaving the cage door open that night! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
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Omg doganjo my heart goes out to you, the thought of anything happening to my 4 makes me feel sick!
I think the mud bothers me a lot more than it does the ducks, I like to see them in a lovely enclosure, all neat & tidy ::) Think I need to realise it isn't going to happen with ducks ;D
Will have a look at rubber matting, someone else has done that as well.
As always thanks for the reply ;D
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oh, Annie, that's so sad...you must get some more soon to get over that ! :bouquet: :&>
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Our ducks love making mud. When we empty their little pool they will sift down and create a nice mud pool. I would hate to deprive them of it as the rest of their area has been baked solid and remains very dry.
What about some good wellies ;D
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Oh how cute would they look in little duck wellies ;D
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...a Beatrix Potter in all of you I think :D ....
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What are you trying to say? ;D
(http://www.jarrold.co.uk/UserData/root/Images/dcuk-ducklets.jpg%7Bw=383,h=383%7D.th)
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That is sooo cute :love: :&>
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;D ;D ;D
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I have a mum, dad and baby version of these sat in my veg garden even with a little wooden egg ;D
Blueeyes x
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Great picture womble ! Do you know where we can buy a copy.
I am making a winter shelter for the ducks. It will be within the barn.
Simples ? NO ! ???
Take a look at the list of jobs I have to do to acheieve this.
1. Empty the mid section of the barn of 20 - 30 year old fossilised cow dung.
2. Move stone blocks so I have a route for the wheelbarrow .
3.Clear soe veg beds so I have somewhere to tip the manure on.
3. Move yest more blocks of stone and sort them by size and shape.
4.Mend a large hole in the stone barn (walls about 80 cm thick) and fashion a doorway.
5. Fit a wooden doorframe then hang an old doorwe have.
6. Collect 8 discarded pallets from back of shops in town.
7. Build an internal wall with pallets , a few long beams and some more stone blocks.
9. Move 3 hutches inside barn.
10. Clear land outside barn door ( dug up nettle roots a few days ago and burnt them).
11. Move yet more bits of stone that I found under the nettles.
12. Drive in some fence posts ( need to go up the woods, cut some chestnut poles then make the posts).
13. hang a wire fence.
14. Drag a discarded bath from the bottom of a ditch under electric fence ( it is in a field down the lane ( Have to wait until heffers stop dropping their calves)).
16 Push and pull bath back to our patch.
15. Sink the bath into the ducks winter garden .
ALL BECAUSE THE DUCKS DON'T LIKE MUDDY FEET ! :thumbsup:
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I really hate to disillusion you Mak, but .................. never heard of 'mucky ducks' Ducks LIKE muddy feet! :innocent: :innocent: :innocent:
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D liked that MAK, everyone who visits us wonders why it is all taking so long to do our place up - it's the 10 jobs that you have to do before the one you are trying to get to that get eats up time!
Don't list it by the way - the list is a job in itself and takes up too much time! My OH likes to put things on his list that he has done already just so he can score them off immediately - most satisfying! He also likes to eat out of date food because he thinks it's good for his immune system - always good when you need to clear out the fridge before the next Tesco shop arrives!
I blame TAS by the way - it gets in the way all the time - there's lots of time, you sit down at the computer, switch on TAS and then suddenly there's no time. All Rosemary and Dan's fault - see on how few occasions they come on and chat? They're out getting on with it while we're all nattering. ;D
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So true so true. Chris makes a list and I resent it but luv adding things that I have done ( even if they did not need doing).
We have just about finished rennovating the 3 floor house and I am moving along to the attcahed barn. I'd luv to sell the other barn as it is just a headache for me - thing is the wine cellar is under it !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today I can tick off number 7 on my list above. Loveley warm day again so good to be working in the barn.
Tell the OH that he would have trouble identifying out of date cheese here in France as it is growing a fur coat when you buy it and seems to move by itself in the cheese safe.
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Yum, just the way he likes it, all fur coat and nae knickers (quite unlike me of course). He's laughing at what you said as he pours himself (another) Friday night glass of wine, just to 'take the edge off' of course. ;D
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Friday night wine ? You should tell the OH that the supermarkets have wine on offer ( Fois de Vin). nice red Bordeaux (2009) at 218 Euros a bottle. OR a fruity bottle of Ventoux for 2.66 Euros. Guess what I am drinking.
Chris can not afford a fur coat but then it has been hot today. :excited:
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He's on a 2010 Bons Ventos Portugese £6.50 from Oddbins - the guy who sold it said he would resign if he didn't like it - OH's had about 30 bottles of it over the past weeks just to make sure it's his favourite, says it's not as good as his home made though (hmmm). Think we're off the subject of duck enclosures, must be Friday. ;D
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might extend the gravel areas too, just always think it can't be comfortable on their little webbed feet :-\
In Chris and Mike Astons book " the domestic duck " ( a mine of information ) They also run the Indian Runner Duck Association... So they probably know a thing or two about ducks.... :eyelashes: They say the best ground is free draining sandy soil. ( we are right on the river band ) deep dark rich alluvial soil, perfect for making mud!, They say for a winter yard sloping concrete is good but not good for their tootsies over long periods, however they say this could be covered with bark, peelings, sand or straw. ( This environment is only any good for growing ducks with a limited life. ( i.e. growers for eating )
they continue to say... on a smaller scale, gravel works well. It has to be deep enough so they cannot puddle and the droppings are washed down the pores. The best gravel is well rounded large pieces, too large for the ducks to swallow and smooth so their feet are not cut.
We plan to build an open, predator proof run with a corrugated see through roof adjacent to their wendy house so they can muck about " outside " if they wish if we are not around to let them in/out to graze. The gravel option is the best I have found so far.
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I like the pretend outside thing - stop them getting that winter blues thing that people are getting these days.
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I am not sure if ducks get seasonal affective disorder but if they do then I'm pretty sure they will need a daylight simulator lamp up there in Scotland. Lamps are available from all good stockists and will probabley help with egg production and the drakes libido. ;D
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...a Beatrix Potter in all of you I think :D ....
Was jemima Puddleduck not an indian runner? She was a poor sitter ( or so the story goes and she was quite upright as I remember )
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Great picture womble ! Do you know where we can buy a copy.
I am making a winter shelter for the ducks. It will be within the barn.
Simples ? NO ! ???
Take a look at the list of jobs I have to do to acheieve this.
1. Empty the mid section of the barn of 20 - 30 year old fossilised cow dung.
2. Move stone blocks so I have a route for the wheelbarrow .
3.Clear soe veg beds so I have somewhere to tip the manure on.
3. Move yest more blocks of stone and sort them by size and shape.
4.Mend a large hole in the stone barn (walls about 80 cm thick) and fashion a doorway.
5. Fit a wooden doorframe then hang an old doorwe have.
6. Collect 8 discarded pallets from back of shops in town.
7. Build an internal wall with pallets , a few long beams and some more stone blocks.
9. Move 3 hutches inside barn.
10. Clear land outside barn door ( dug up nettle roots a few days ago and burnt them).
11. Move yet more bits of stone that I found under the nettles.
12. Drive in some fence posts ( need to go up the woods, cut some chestnut poles then make the posts).
13. hang a wire fence.
14. Drag a discarded bath from the bottom of a ditch under electric fence ( it is in a field down the lane ( Have to wait until heffers stop dropping their calves)).
16 Push and pull bath back to our patch.
15. Sink the bath into the ducks winter garden .
ALL BECAUSE THE DUCKS DON'T LIKE MUDDY FEET ! :thumbsup:
Oh MAK...
what dedication. I am having to reconfigre the bottom of our yard including moving the cement mixer, a couple of engines and an axle for my morris minor. Our compost bins 3. a whole lot of pan tiles, tonnes of soil and sand, timber etc etc for the new deep beds, another compost pile, and loads of tree trunk lengths/rounds ( which i have been attacking the last few days )
Even tho my hands are blistered my back hurts. I really enjoy sawing and splintering logs.. Go figure!~?... I do get perverse satifaction.... Our stove starts to get hungry this time of year!
All this has to be done by hand/barrow and I have to find places for it all to go. :-\
This is before we put the free draining compound floor in and construct the actually run and then move the wendy house... phew....
Its better than slogging a 9 to 5 anyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
worth it neebor... Robbie
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Its better than slogging a 9 to 5 anyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
Oh yes but I bet your food bill is high - all those calories you are burning off. I have been up 2 hours with back ache but the drugs should kick in before it gets light here. Bit of wood work for me I think.
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What a lovely duck-dad you are ;D
I find that Friday night wine, internally applied, is very good for a bad back ;) Hope it mends soon :-*
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Its better than slogging a 9 to 5 anyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
Oh yes but I bet your food bill is high - all those calories you are burning off. I have been up 2 hours with back ache but the drugs should kick in before it gets light here. Bit of wood work for me I think.
Food bill. Shmood bill. Eating ( and dwinking ) was what I was put on this earth for. LOL
Third day logging today. Blisters have burst, Oh yes the back.. Just being canny regarding the back.
Need a new bar and chain on my husky now so its splitting rounds today. Clearing by backlog of timber is central to reconfiguring the yard.
Hope your back is better soon.
Robbie