[Shropshirelass]

Normally my ducks free range & have access to a river so messiness isn't really a problem with them, but I'm penning them up for a couple of weeks / months in their breeding pens but their messy buggers & I've got a small water trough for them & their on grass in 4x8ft pheasant panel runs & have shelter but the pens even with 2 in are turning into mud holes, so any advice, I have 1 poss alternative pen where I have some of my Orpington's & I'm considering putting wood chip down, but any tips - the only ducks I have penned atm are 6 call ducks in 3 pens.

[MAK]

Good boots so you don't fall over. Our duck pen is on a slope and pretty hazardous now it's a slurry of mud and waste. I scatter straw on route to the rabbit boxes but it has made little difference.

[hughesy]

Ducks have got to be the messiest creatures we've ever had. Worse than pigs for creating mud.

[Shropshirelass]

True but any ideas on how I can keep them clean & happy x

[Backinwellies]

True but any ideas on how I can keep them clean & happy x

They don't need to be clean to be happy! ... they love the mud!

[Shropshirelass]

Good point but with it being so cold they look miserable & don't seem their chatty little selves so I've put some wood chip down (Fingers crossed it works - & they haven't really tried to eat it, so thats gotta be good.)

[devonlady]

Do you have a patch that you intend to cultivate, maybe for next year? You could put the pens up there and put down a good thickness of straw every day or two. That would keep them dry(ish) and clear/manure the ground.

[Shropshirelass]

Not really unless we used a area in the veg garden, I've put wood chip under them now & it seems to have helped a lot to the point where they started laying yesterday, so if their laying & mating that I've seen they must be happy x