If you are looking for an effective way to keep your ducks safe and secure while allowing them the freedom to roam around your property without being confined to one area, a portable duck coop is what you need!
A portable duck coop allows poultry owners flexibility in where they can place their ducks without having to build or purchase multiple permanent housing options.
Not only are these structures convenient, but they also help ensure that you can easily take your flock with you when it’s time to move.
在这篇文章中,我们将提供创造的例子ive portable duck coop ideas and share tips on how to choose one that meets all of your needs. So read on if you’re ready to learn more about finding the right mobile coop for your duck friends.
What Does a Duck Coop Need?
A duck coop provides shelter, safety, and support for your flock. Like any other pet habitat, essential amenities are necessary to keep ducks healthy and safe.
Appropriate Ventilation
鸭子基于“增大化现实”技术e much messier than chickens. They prefer to sleep directly on the ground and poop in their nest while sleeping.
They are also notorious for going to bed directly after swimming and making several trips to their swimming hole during the night if given the opportunity.
Because of this, their sleep areas are dirty and in dire need of proper ventilation to ensure the ducks don’t get sick.
The coop should be about three feet tall or taller, with ventilation near the roofline.
This will ensure that the toxic gases are allowed to escape without putting an uncomfortable or dangerous draft on your ducks.
Good ventilation will also combat mold and mildew, which are common in duck bedding zones.
Predator Proof Security
鸭子基于“增大化现实”技术e a preferred delicacy for predators.
Wild and domestic dogs, some cats, raccoons, birds of prey, foxes, coyotes, wolves, bears, and cougars love ducks and will do whatever they can to get to them.
Strong walls, securely latching doors, complex latches, and maybe electric wire are all necessary for keeping your ducks safe.
If you only have “small” predators (not cougars, bears, or wolves), you can get by with strong hardware cloth with small ½ inch or smaller holes. Chicken wire will probably keep your ducks in, but it will do little to keep predators out.
For larger predators, you’ll need reinforcements and stronger defenses.
High-voltage electric wires, heavy-duty fences, and livestock guardian dogs will do a lot to help protect your ducks.
Another good way to protect your coop and ducks is to keep the coop near your house, somewhere that it’s easy for you to check on them at night.
Bedding
Ducks prefer some kind of organic material that is dry, soft, and at least somewhat absorbent.
Chopped leaves, straw, discarded hay, pine needles, wood shavings, and shredded paper are all good options.
Pine shavings are likely the best option, followed by cedar shavings and then all other types of wood shavings.
You can remove the messy bedding and put it on your compost pile every day or every few days. Or you can use thedeep litter methodif your duck’s portable coop allows the space for it.
Males and Females Separated
Do not house drakes in with females unless you have a huge 30+ duck coop.
Drakes will mount the hens overnight, and being trapped in confined spaces like the coop is very dangerous for the girls.
They are far more likely to sustain serious injuries. Because of this, we strongly recommend housing them in separate spaces.
A Good Location
One of the perks of a mobile duck coop is that you can change locations easily, meaning that your ducks can have ideal living conditions all year round.
In the summer, you can move the coop to a lower area in the shade, perhaps by a cool body of water.
In the winter, you can push the coop over to a sunnier spot where it will absorb more sunshine and heat during the day.
Plus, you can move the coop around to prevent dead spots in your grass, improve the soil quality in your yard or garden, and keep the ducks entertained with constantly changing scenery.
Enough Space Per Duck in the Coop
Each duck should have four to six square feet of space in their coop.
If the ducks spend much time in this structure during the daytime, especially in colder climates, this should be increased to a whopping twenty-five square feet per duck.
Outdoor space should be a minimum of sixteen square feet per duck, though more is always better whenever possible.
What Duck Coops Do Not Need
Feed Container
It’s better to keep feed in the run, not in the coop. Ducks need bedding in their nesting areas, but they are, unfortunately, incredibly messy eaters and drinkers.
It’s better to keep these messier components away from their bedded areas if possible.
Water Container
For the same reasons as the food containers, it’s best to keep the water supply in the run and not the coop.
Ducks should have access to their run, even if it’s just a small enclosed area, at all times, so their water is not restricted from them.
Perches for Roosting
Only Muscovy ducks roost at night; almost all other duck breeds prefer to snuggle up in a nest on the ground instead.
Because of this, your portable duck coop probably won’t need any bars or perches for them to roost on at night.
Wild duck breeds roost too, but you probably aren’t interested in keeping them cooped up.
Portable Duck Coop Ideas
Here are some interesting duck coop ideas you can use as inspiration for your next project!
Tyrant Farms Quacker Box
This coop will hold six or fewer ducks and is perfect for wheeling around the yard.
This coop is designed to have a nesting box, a 3-foot tall, 2-foot wide, and 4-foot long run with a green roof over the coop and a removable waterproof roof over the run.
The builders of this coop live in South Carolina, where heat is a larger concern than the cold.
They used ½ inch galvanized wire mesh to keep predators out, which has been 100% successful so far.
Promise Land Farm’s Duck Wagon
This coopwas built on a simple four-wheel utility wagon.
This is one of the larger portable duck coops you’ll find; best if pulled by an ATV or small tractor.
If you’ll notice, it has a metal roof, rain gutters, and a 65-gallon water collection tank.
This collection tank allows the duck keepers to freely move their flock of ducks around their property without also lugging around drinking water for them.
Artisan Designs Urban Duck Coop
This duck or chicken coop is designed to be easily moved around by hand.
It uses chicken wire for the run and a small dog house-sized coop for locking in the ducks at night.
The roof of the nesting area opens up, so you have easy access to the ducks and their nesting area.
The coop sits on two wheels, so it’s easy to pick up and maneuver the coop wherever you need it to go.
Green Willow Homestead’s Mobile A-Frame for Ducks or Chickens
This unique A-frame is ideal for several flock sizes, as it’s easy to adjust the size when creating your building plans.
- A small 6-feet-wide by 8-feet long and 5.5-feet-tall A-frame should house four to six ducks overnight.
- A medium-sized A-frame that is 6 feet wide, 10 feet long, and 5.5 feet tall should hold six to fifteen ducks overnight.
- 一个大8英尺宽,10英尺长,7英尺高A-frame should house thirteen to twenty ducks.
A-frames are quick and easy to build and even easier to move around your property.
What’s nice about this design is that it has ample space inside for the run, so you have plenty of room to provide food and water near the nesting area without the risk of messing up the bedding zones.
Hill Family Homestead Flat Mobile Duck Coop
This coop is simple, affordable, and functional.
It’s a perfect rectangle that is outfitted with some chicken wire, a metal roof, and hinged doors for easy access to the ducks.
This mobile coop is smaller in size but easy to move around by hand without the need for a tractor or any other machinery.
Portable Duck Coops You Can Buy
Pets Imperial Dorchester Coop
This uniquely shaped ark coop is a specious six feet eight inches long by two feet seven inches wide by 3 feet four inches tall.
It is well-suited to hold two ducks and is built with protection from coyotes and foxes in mind.
The enclosed coop is made of treated lumber, while the run is a secure ½ inch hardware cloth.
Expect the entire coop to weigh a little under seventy pounds in total.
It is fairly lightweight when you consider the materials used, the size, and the type of coop it is.
I would not recommend using this coop as a coop and run but instead as a spacious overnight safe space for your ducks.
During the day, they need a yard and a run or the chance to free-range, plus a clean pond or pool.
There are two access doors to the run section of it and two doors leading to the enclosed coop portion.
Two perches sit inside the coop, which can be removed since ducks prefer to nest on the ground.
There is one large nesting box (elevated) and two nesting areas (on the floor) inside the coop for them to bed down in.
Unovivy Large Metal Walk-In Coop with Rest, Table, Run with Waterproof Cover
Get it here for$312.99or$369.99
If you’re more interested in a portable run than a fully enclosed coop, you’ll appreciate this option.
This coop/run is approximately twenty feet long, ten feet wide, and six and a half feet tall.
It’s tall enough for you to walk into and well-suited for ducks to flap their wings a bit with space to enjoy.
There is one person-sized door on a short wall, with perches on the opposite side. These perches are not necessary for ducks but are a fantastic addition if you ever want to use this as a chicken run later.
While this is a stable and well-made coop, there are two factors you should consider before purchasing — the sides and ceiling are made of PVC-coated hexagonal wire mesh (commonly referred to as a “chain link” fence.)
If you want to raise ducklings, they can walk through this.
The other concern is the sun and water-resistant roof material, this is usually not enough protection from the sun for chickens or ducks.
They can handle the cold much better than they can handle the heat — consider putting this in a shaded area of your property.
还可以增加阴影通过向日葵、藤蔓,月ubs, and fast-growing trees.
On the bright side, the wire mesh and frames are anti-corrosion and anti-rust, meaning you’ll get to use them for a long time.
It’s also pretty secure against many predators.
You can keep ducks in here full-time, too.
But if you choose to keep ducks in this as a full-time run, thirteen ducks are your limit.
If you intend to let your ducks free-range, then you can comfortably fit about fifty ducks in here.
PawHut Portable Backyard Coop with Run and Nesting Box
Lastly, if you’re interested in something small and easily maneuverable, this is the best option for you.
This product is eight feet long, three feet wide, and a little more than three and a half feet tall.
It weighs sixty-five pounds, but thanks to the large wheels under the enclosed coop section, it feels much lighter than this.
I believe two ducks in this coop is the most comfortable and ethical option.
I strongly advise that the ducks have access to a separate run or the freedom to free-range during the day.
This coop is best used for overnight use only.
When you get this, it’s best to weatherproof the wood with a sealer or exclusively keep it covered from direct sunshine and the elements.
While this coop is a bit on the weaker side, it’s a bargain for the price point and a great start for beginner duck keepers.
This is probably the easiest-to-assemble portable duck coop on our list, too. It’s well-packaged, labeled, and comes with detailed instructions.
All in all, this is the best coop for new duck keepers who want to start small.
Final Thoughts on Portable Duck Coop Ideas
After carefully considering your options, it’s time to find the perfect portable duck coop that is right for your ducks.
You need to make sure that the size of the coop is large enough for however many ducks you have. And take into consideration their breed and lifestyle.
Also, make sure all of the necessary features, such as ventilation, a secure, lockable doorway, and a warm, dry interior, are taken into consideration.
You don’t need to include any unneeded features, such as water tanks, if your ducks will be able to access standing bodies of water daily. If you’re up for a project, you can build it yourself with DIY options.
There are also plenty of excellent mobile duck coops on the market, online, in stores, and locally.
What are your opinions on portable duck coops? What are your best ideas for duck coops that the rest of us should know about?
We would love to hear from you!
