Designing the Ultimate Duck House

We need a duck house design on our farm that will be predator proof. So I have started to build the ultimate duck house.
About Gold Shaw Farm: Gold Shaw Farm is more of a farm-in-progress than an honest-to-goodness farm. Our dream is that someday we are able to transform our 150+ acre parcel of land into a regenerative and productive homestead and farm.
Do you want to buy Gold Shaw Farm t-shirts and other merchandise? Go here: bit.ly/2tGBh97
KZbin: / goldshawfarm
Web: www.goldshawfar...
Facebook: / goldshawfarm
Instagram: / goldshawfarm
Twitter: / goldshawfarm
Send us mail:
Gold Shaw Farm
PO Box 225
Peacham, VT 05862

[@Bamaman14k]

Don't let anyone's comment harsh your buzz, I've done a lot of building and that looks more than sturdy enough for a duck house. Several things I thought were quite ingenious, the clean-out door, and the water diverter, I may incorporate them into my next build. Thanks for sharing it with us, Jimmy

[@corneliuspraeda6452]

Ya know, this is just one man's opinion, but I think it takes a helluva human being, who takes the lives of "lesser creatures" in his hands, to man-up and take responsibility for whatever mistakes they've made. And then correct them. Man, it's STINKING refreshing imo! In a world where folks act like everything and everybody's owed to them, and damn them if they don't fall in line. Bless you, my man! As I start my own farming experience...and duck experience...I'll be watching, and hopefully learning, from your experiences.

[@ms.mjjones9847]

Aww look at the baby quackens! The white waddler lead in the front, and bringing up the rear. Well done Morgan my friend!

[@colene77]

You’re doing great!! Colene

[@johannijman2341]

Trial and error is the best teacher - plus, you've done your homework, so I think it'll be fine :) Looks cool, too!

[@BESHYSBEES]

Better to learn from others mistakes then to make them for yourself

[@mmccrownus2406]

technically, Churchill and Roosevelt gave Eastern Europe to Stalin. Just saying.

[@stephaniewilson3955]

A master craftsman will always know how they could have done it better. Give yourself credit for a really good job.

[@AmericanAdventuresTJ]

We learn by doing, the more things you build, the better you will become. Looks great so far.

[@SidBelcher]

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” - Winston Churchill. Keep going! Sub’d

[@noworriessoap5494]

^ this

[@maplehollowhomestead6555]

Don’t be self conscious of your work. Nobody expects you to be an expert builder and also, it looks good anyhow. For your skill level, I think you did a fantastic job. Much better than I’ve seen a lot of people do. Keep up the good work.

[@littleozarksfarmstead]

@1:30 🙌 awesomeness! BEST MONDAY EVER! My husband and I are in central Florida and I gotta tell you when I saw the 3 mini-quaken following along . . . Hubby stopped, looked at me laughing and asked, "Gold Shaw"? I gotta start your video over so he can watch with me. Still hoping for a Marvin the Martian insert 😋

[@stellarebello9848]

Your a very good carpenter. My husband has built me hot houses to grow our seedlings. I love the duck house. Please dont get down on yourself. I have a seen a growth since watching all of your videos. Keep up the great work. This land is a piece in progress. God Bless.

[@derrtyd37]

Dont be embarrassed my man, your skills just fine. Half the people watching have never built a box, and your building living stuctures! Hold your head high!

[@MichaelErman]

Farming is his dream, KZbin is his future. He knows the algorithm, knows how to create content, etc.

[@buildingwithtrees2258]

As a builder you're right...BUT at least you built it. Most people don't even take a dream and make it reality. I bought an old farm too. And most of the outbuildings are made of scrap and they're still standing after 70 years.

[@farmergirlangie3469]

I love watching your ducks and geese.

[@kaycox5555]

Haa@! Your music choices releasing the geese today are hilarious!!!! Well done.

[@kaycox5555]

Well thought out duck plans too.

[@providencefarmstead2122]

This looks amazing! As someone who’s in the very infancy of my own homesteading journey, I just want to thank you for sharing all that you’ve shared. Your openness and proficiency in documenting and story telling has been awesome. I’ve been following you on both KZbin and podcast. Thank you for all you’re doing.

[@lisawenzel2364]

I think it's great. The ducks will love it. I mean the cats are good judge of character and they like it..

[@dollyperry3020]

Just don't use chicken wire....unless it's only to keep out chickens. When trying to prevent preditors access...hardware cloth always!

[@logan-booth486]

100% agree

[@hazelamann2697]

Keep up the good work! Don't let anyone cause you to doubt yourself.

[@TheTinkerersWife]

Morgan, I so appreciate your doing things yourself like this and showing others. We never know we can do something until we try and while it may not be perfect, but I bet it inspires a lot of others out there to try their hand at building something. Hey I want to try building something now too. And isn't that what this is all about? So I'm hoping it works even better than you expected and brings about more new and better ideas for your ducks...which have become our ducks vicariously. Now, are you giving their new abode a name?😉

[@shavanerad9038]

I grew up in Montpelier and now live with my son in Virginia, but we may be moving to a farmhouse in MD with a few acres including a pond. Been researching ducks, as a result, and your video made me a little homesick in a nice way.

[@batpherlangkharkrang7976]

Hi..... Gold Shaw Farm (Morgan) nice to see you, thank you for sharing your video homestead chicken farmer garden 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 👕🐔🐓🐥🐩🐈🌱🎥👍👍👍

[@builtontherockhomestead9390]

Those white ducks are so funny when they walk. Surprised they don't fall over. And the music when you release the geese, lol.

[@missyweidenaar5016]

Great job, Morgan! Keep going!

[@elfwoodadventures2103]

Best soundtrack for the geese! Dude, you did a great job building the new duck house! Every farmer and homesteader needs to know a variety of skills...doesn't mean you have to be perfect at all of them! A suggestion you probably already thought of...putting 1/2 inch hardware cloth down on the whole floor, then adding the plywood where you need it. That way predators (like coyotes) can't chew or claw thru the floor. Keep it up..."Winter is coming!"

[@maryjanepeters7507]

I think it looks great and functional. Lots of couch critics out there but no worries, we do the best we can with what we have and move on from there. You’re doing great 👍🏻

[@jese4885]

Your humility is very endearing ❤

[@FrancesShear]

In my own urban neighborhood there is a tool lending library that is now closed during the pandemic. I can hardly wait until it opens up again because I miss using tools and equipment like a lawn mower outdoors.

[@msjboogz]

Nice job! I have faith in you, sir!

[@dannyschannel8152]

You have done a great job at building a good home for the ducklings 😃

[@tantrictami]

you should get fancy and put a solar-powered duck door in and don't forget to put a gutter on that roof and harvest your snowmelt/rainwater. Great project thanks for sharing

[@pepecocomax]

Oh how I love the opening of your video. I think you Duck house is looking amazing. For not having skills your doing a really good job. Don't be embarrassed we don't all have the same skills as others. Awesome video. The baby ducks are growing so fast.

[@blondego56]

Obviously your carpentry skills do NOT "suck"... Look at what you've accomplished ! You are inspiring...and i only have 12 Ducks ... 🐣🐣🐣

[@MARTINADBA1980]

00:45 First Ever Recorded Win for Pekins in Any Duck Race! LOL

[@GoodPersonTestWebsite]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@canterlilyfarm]

I cant wait to see your duck house finished.

[@Munden]

I built my chicken coop almost exactly the same and I also didn't bury it. I lined the floor with linoleum/vinyl in mine and it's worked out great so far.

[@syridian1000]

Morgan, the duck house looks great!! I completely understand not exactly being comfortable sharing your building skills, but the most important thing is that you are DOING it, not that its not "perfect". My husband and I are not carpenters and we have built our own home as well as our chicken coop and a few sheds. Are they perfect? Far from it....are they still standing? Yep! LOL We are your neighbors to the south in Marlboro, VT. Good job!! Oh, and all our out buildings are built using those concrete footers, we sit on lots of ledge and are not able to dig down the 4+ feet to get below the frost. They work great and not problems in the last 3 years. :)

[@rudyzepeda2800]

Good luck with your Grand Duck House. I admire your efforts and courage, inspite of your self-proclaimed inexperience with building. I run a Handyman Service company and I'm happy to share whatever advice and experience. Again good luck.

[@131dyana]

You put a lot of thought into that duck house. Just do the best you can. I like the design.

[@ambermenjivar273]

You should add acrylic or plastic sides to the walls around the water area so the water that the ducks use and splash just slides down and doesn’t saturate the main walls. Just an idea hope you see it and love the vids. My husband and I live in Rutland Vermont so it’s great to see stuff being done with in the state that we cherish!

[@krishnabrian691]

I love your creative way of building the coop

[@christianjorgensen4621]

Thanks for the explanation at 6:41 concerning frost heaves. I was about to abandon KZbin to go find out what the heck they were. The ducklings look like they are growing up fast.

[@kmaassociates7999]

Family members living next to a National Forest and State Game Lands here in PA had to modify and build new sheds and shelters the way you would build an electronics Faraday Cage ! A kind of 'impervious' six surfaces Feathers IN, Furies OUT system. All the Best from The Keystone !

[@markthompson7961]

Looks good! Since you did an overhang, I'd suggest you add a gutter to a 55 gallon drum and use it for a duck pool or a supplement to their water.

[@mammacatta]

Here in Sweden (roughly the same weater in my part as Vermont) we either pole 50-60 cm or just put the wood or concreteblock on sand. The sand is fine enough so it doesnt move, gravel tends to lead moisture and move more. "Sättsand" is wildy used as a non-dig base for stairs, playhouses and porches here. "Sätt" means sit or hold, sand is sand. Good luck!

[@genevievegreene1595]

Awesome duck house. Yes practice does make perfect, also watching others build you pick up more than you might realise.

[@SunraeSkatimunggr]

My 32 year old son has been starting a business (along with the homestead) milling wood in Salem, Oregon. His isn't as nice as that little operation you got your wood from, but he has only been at it for a couple years. He specializes in fallen or dying trees. I wondered why you had such a rustic duck house. Nice design, and I always say, if you don't try, you never learn. Keep up the good work.

[@Tinkergrumpybuns]

Hey! Think about putting down linoleum on the floor! Best thing I've done with chickens. I used some extra peel and stick linoleum tiles ( 12x12) and when I need to clean out the coop, I just use a little plastic rake to clean out the old bedding, and nothing sticks and my floor has no rot or moisture .

[@corneliussinclair112]

Your place is looking better and better all the time; keep up the hard work!

[@overmanback40farm44]

oh goodness. I love the huge flock of geese you have. I only have 4 and they make some crazy noise! Love having them.

[@amandab.recondwith8006]

I think you should be very proud of yourself!

[@muckshifter]

Son, I couldn't have 'constructed' what you have succeeded in constructing. Never be embarrassed to show what you can achieve!

[@christiewerkheiser3442]

I admire your authenticity Morgan! We all learn from each stride as we grow in our skills. Embrace it!

[@redheadsrule2785]

I think the ducks are going to love it!! 🦆🦆❤️

[@Grandpacarlreacts]

Hay brother. Good job. I love your honesty about your construction skills. Nobody knows everything. Look at it this way you have a few hundred experienced guys watching that may have better construction skills. Look at this as a school for yourself to build up your skills with teachers who are paying you to teach you. Take what you like and learn from the comments. Yeah sure some will be butt heads and cruel. but most will make constructive comments. I really appreciate your courage to put yourself out like this. You rock man!

[@tunajohn1]

I look forward to your video life on youtube. Nice duck-house. I would have put 6” of Gravel under the “elephant feet” as loom only fosters sinking and heaving in winter. I would use PT wood at the water dump, and seriously consider a good water resistant T&G plywood floor. In the future, you may want to bury a 55 gal drum full of rocks outside but near water dump so it drains and does not freeze up on you under the duck house. Great job for a novice

[@kiwimacscottish6759]

Good morning! The quack house is coming along nicely. When you picked up your boards I notice you were in Al's territory. You must live close to Lumnah Acres. 🙂 Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful. Have a great day! 🇨🇦

[@Aliciaek]

Have a Happy Duck day...

[@hadrast]

If you plan to keep your shiny (?) new duck house long-term, I strongly advise that you partially dismantle the water section so you can slather all surfaces of all the planks and beams in that area with a good waterproof paint or sealant; for what amounts to continuous water steeping, I wouldn't trust lumber's pressure treatment alone, and I can tell that the planks and 2×4s don't even have that. I know paint/sealant isn't cheap, but an ounce of prevention and all that.

[@gelwood99]

Instead of hardware cloth, I would use a 1.5 x 2 wire mesh galvanized panels like for bird cages or rabbit pens and put the hardware cloth over it. This will handle the weight of the water and be extra protection from preditors. The weight of water and the span between the supports will not hold up. I used the hardware cloth in the bottom of my brooder and the weight of 10 growing chicks pulled it lose.

[@lizhaydon2250]

Practice makes perfect. Looks good so far

[@Sc4rEye]

Amazing work, you should be proud of what you have built, no structure is perfect, there is always room for improvements even for people who have been building all their lives.

[@keegansmom2008]

You are an encouragement!!!

[@glengoates6421]

Do not under estimate yourself, you are doing a great job. Love your vlog. Keep up the great work you are doing. Have a blessed day.

[@thee.c.r.gtherealmoftheunk3717]

Good Morning Morgan !

[@robertgonzalez8419]

Your doing awesome job don’t let any body tell you otherwise be safe God bless

[@pinkyfromhaughtfarms6550]

I think it's coming along great! No need to be self conscious about your ability, practice is how skills are honed👍 At least you are doing the dang thing! And the cool part about building stuff yourself is being able to add the stuff YOU need. Like the cleaning hatch and hardware cloth water area. Great job Morgan, cant wait to see it finished!

[@jessicadol4261]

This looks cool. We really want to keep ducks so we're doing all kinds of research and having it flush and level and the land prepped for the house first is so important, plus predator aprons. Haven't finished the video but looking cool so far!

[@Steve-ps6qw]

yea, glad you are so responsible and are taking charge of the ducks safety. I love the duck house concept and will use it myself, thanks! I will have to deal with frost heave as well...there are frost barriers that can be used but I dont know if that has anything to do with the moisture content in the ground, you are in a very wet area.

[@mekkap904]

I think you have done a great job with duck house.

[@leppardess]

For someone who has never built or designed a building before, you've got mad skillz in that regard. You've done your homework, you've thought everything through and that's the important thing. Hopefully, this will be a building that will be on your farm for a long time..... maybe you'll have a whole village of those buildings? It's a great design.

[@CharlyDeamen]

Pablo's staking claim. Cute! He probably marked every single beam with his "Pablo was here" scent. I really like this channel. All your animals look healthy and happy. This is what balance with nature is supposed to be.

[@InaStanley83]

I get being a bit self-conscious, but this whole thing you're building is actually really cool! We're very interested in raising ducks (we're starting with quail this week and meat rabbits within the next month), but I've been researching ways to contain the level of mess they tend to make with water. You're setup has given me some great ideas! Keep doing what you're doing. Progress is progress no matter how long it takes! You've earned a new subscriber here! 😄

[@LumnahAcres]

The duck house is looking good. The ducks are going to be spoiled this winter

[@chelseywelwood22]

This is beautiful! Well done!

[@heatherfonner]

It looks great, we all had to learn, this is just your time..

[@anniegaddis5240]

Great info! Sharing!

[@ManJO601]

worked out great so far

[@greensnapper1602]

Take your Time Looking good

[@gkevineady49]

Above doors and windows : each side has a "jack stud" so that the top of the frame is solidly on those studs, and then a second board IF it's load bearing - IF you are missing a stud in the middle so you need extra strength to carry across the hole. Two 2xs side by side with a plywood spacer in the middle so that the width comes out right.

[@rosschristensen1970]

This is brilliant. I will copy the design when I have land.

[@Jim0i0]

Dude, I spent my first waterfowl summer, building and rebuilding an 8x16 "supercoop" too. All the same struggles and insecurities. Keep on truckin'!

[@TheOutdoorsman]

Looks great! Looking forward to seeing it finished!

[@evegarcia8829]

Quack house? 🤣🤣😍😍 Love the title!!🤣🤣

[@gpil2000]

Sound great. I would move in too! LOL

[@melissatomolonius472]

It looks amazing! You should absolutely be proud!

[@kazbleasdale1310]

Looks great, love the idea of water area. Hoping to alter my duck hut to incorporate that idea and hopefully get less mess. Looking forward to seeing the final result. Great work

[@walterperrault]

you did a great job this is how we learn

[@bigsky445]

Fantastic! & remember, if you dont make mistakes, you're not learning. Your ducks will be sooo happy! Thanks for sharing! ❤❤

[@ourselfreliantlife]

It all takes time Morgan. The more you build the better you get.👍

[@timminstraprs2169]

The only way to get better at something, is to do it. Looks great to my crooked Canadian eye. 👍✌️❤️🇨🇦

[@dandelionfields6955]

I think you did a great job! I've seen people put vinyl flooring in, so everything slides out easily during cleanup, and protects the plywood 💕

[@katherinelittle5270]

For the ramp add side panels so the ducks don't fall off while trying to get on and add bumps (ex: screw on a small piece of plywood) so in the winter the ramp can still be accessed by them when there is ice and/or snow on it.

[@Rowdymotmot]

I think you have built the duck house with a good plan, well thought out as to taking care of the duck needs, cleaning and the snow issue. Keep up the good work. Your building looks great.

[@kathrinekerns8398]

Looking good. Those minks are very smart. Sorry they got in the duck house. Hope your new one keeps them out.

[@johnniecarter318]

Man everything is an opportunity to learn. I was a carpenter in my earlier life. I’m a plumber now. I say you did a great job. I personally believe even if you had to build it twice because the first time it fell down. You would still have made the right decision. As far as doing it on your own. That and $50 bucks will get you a cup of coffee anywhere I know. I enjoy the videos very much. I get the impression that you are genuine a good guy through and through. That seems to be harder and harder to find anymore. Another good guy is responsible for me finding your channel and that’s All Lumnah. Keep on trying things outside your comfort zone and please continue to share the building of your farm with us. Thank You!!

[@ratroute8238]

The vertical space under that high peak roof might hold a set of wire rabbit hutches(or a chicken roost). Keep a few does and a buck or two over winter and when spring comes fill up your freeze with grass fed meat. Rabbits, like geese, can get most of their food from the garden and pasture

[@HaywireHomestead]

The new duck house is looking great! Love the raised floor feature.

[@Ad_Astra_321]

Wow! That's a dang sight better than anything I could build, so I'm impressed!! I'd never seen a cat monkey bar house before =D

[@Ad_Astra_321]

@R C =)