Backyard chickens
Duck houses
Little things. Happy tails.
6 items picked for everyday life with your pet, with shipping estimates on every item.
A happy life, one little thing at a time.All backyard chickens homes, cages & gates →Chicken coops →Chicken runs →Chicken nesting boxes →Small animal playpens →Outdoor rabbit hutches →
↗Tracked US shippingEstimates on every item↶Returns & refundsHow it works♡Here to helpTalk to Giddy Pets
All duck houses
Little essentials. Lots of love.
A little guidance
Help choosing duck houses
Buying guides and care advice written for this range: what to measure, what matters and what to skip.
From our guides
These are housing options for backyard ducks from our Backyard Chickens range: wooden duck houses and duck coops with openable roofs, removable floors and wide, low doors. The page is for backyard keepers with a small flock of ducks, or with ducks living alongside chickens, who need a house built for birds that sleep on the floor and make everything wet.
How ducks differ from chickens
Ducks do not roost or use perches; they sleep on the floor in a huddle. A duck house therefore needs a low, wide door, a ramp with a gentle slope or none at all, and floor space rather than height. Nesting areas sit at floor level too, usually a quiet corner with deep bedding.
Ducks are also messy with water. They drink a lot and splash it everywhere, which turns bedding damp and smelly fast. Penn State Extension suggests putting waterers in the outside run to keep humidity down inside the house. If your flock includes chickens, compare chicken coops too, since those are built around perches that ducks never use.
Space per duck
Penn State Extension gives 3 square feet of indoor space and 15 square feet of outdoor space per duck, roughly double the figures for laying hens. Use those numbers against the listed floor dimensions of a duck house rather than the bird count on the box.
Ducks spend most of the day outside, foraging and bathing, so the house is mainly for overnight shelter and laying. That makes a secure, roomy run as important as the house itself. Plan for a shallow pool or tub they can dip their heads in, which they need for keeping eyes and nostrils clean.
Predator-proofing a duck house
Ducks are easy targets at night because they sleep on the ground. Shut them in every evening; ducks can be trained to come in at dusk with a little feed. Check the door closes with a latch a raccoon cannot flip open.
Penn State Extension recommends fully enclosed runs with a covered top, fence wire buried at least 12 inches and bent outward, and heavy mesh over windows. The same rules apply to duck runs. Keep the area around the house clear of brush and woodpiles where predators can shelter.
Ventilation, bedding and cleaning
Good airflow matters even more for ducks than chickens because of the moisture they bring in. Vents high on the walls let damp air out without a draft at floor level, where the ducks sleep. An openable roof helps air the house on dry days.
Use a deep layer of absorbent bedding such as straw or pine shavings and replace wet patches often. A removable floor tray is the most useful feature on a duck house, since you will be cleaning it more than a chicken coop. Raise the house slightly off the ground so the floor stays dry. Pair it with a chicken run that has a covered top.
How much space does a duck need?
Penn State Extension gives 3 square feet inside the house and 15 square feet of outdoor run per duck. Use the house's floor dimensions to check how many ducks it can hold.
Can ducks and chickens live together?
They can share a run, but ducks make water and bedding wet and sleep on the floor. Separate housing, or a house with a dry roosting area for hens, usually works better.
Do ducks need a door that closes at night?
Yes. Ducks sleep on the ground and are vulnerable to raccoons, foxes and other predators. Close them in every evening with a secure latch. Train them to come in with a little feed at dusk.
Do duck houses need perches?
No. Ducks do not roost. They need a dry, bedded floor, a low wide door and good ventilation, with nesting space in a quiet corner at floor level.
What bedding is best for a duck house?
Straw or pine shavings laid deep work well because they absorb moisture. Replace wet patches often, since ducks make bedding damp quickly, and keep waterers in the run to reduce mess inside.