Caitlin Mac Shim wrote:Hiya! Interesting idea!
Couple of things I would consider...
Depending on your climate, your Ducks might get a little toasty up there. Where I live it would be way too hot and muggy up there with geese in the bottom half too. Ventilation will be important - could you make the roof a bit higher?
Also, in the current design, the ducks need to make it past the geese (in close quarters) to get to the laying boxes. Might not be a problem if the geese are nice and the ducks are brave, but could be stressful for a duck that likes to lay as much as an Indian Runner to run the laying box gauntlet every morning. So, I’d add a laying box at duck level, or at least provide some straw for then to lay in on their level.
If you don’t have your heart set on IRs, Muskoveys might be worth looking into. They roost, like a chicken, and like to be up high, so might work better with your double decker design as long as the geese have some form of protection from muskovey projectile poo lol. They are a bit different to a mallard derived duck breed though.
Or, if your heart is set on IRs, what about making the coup longer, rather than higher? So it’s no wider and can get through your paths, but has a second space (chamber?) for the ducks at ground level? Would be easier to manoeuvre On hilly terrain with a lower centre of gravity but would be harder to get around tight corners. Would allow for a bigger space with better roof height/ventilation though.
I’ll keep thinking on it!
Wouter Gijbels wrote:
What do you guys think of that? Would it work? Would the willow thrive with the 5 months of being submerged? What will happen with the horizontal branches when they start to get thicker?
I will add a picture of what i kinda mean, but with living willow branches and poles instead of dead
Wikipedia: Inosculation is a natural phenomenon in which trunks, branches or roots of two trees grow together. It is biologically similar to grafting and such trees are referred to in forestry as gemels, from the Latin word meaning "a pair".[1] It is most common for branches of two trees of the same species to grow together, though inosculation may be noted across related species. The branches first grow separately in proximity to each other until they touch. At this point, the bark on the touching surfaces is gradually abraded away as the trees move in the wind. Once the cambium of two trees touches, they sometimes self-graft and grow together as they expand in diameter. Inosculation customarily results when tree limbs are braided or pleached.