introducing ducks to a flock of chickens

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wildflower

wildflower

In the Brooder
12 Years
Mar 26, 2007
69
0
39
San Diego, CA
We are thinking of adopting a pair of Cayuga ducks who are stranded in the city. They are one year old and were found as tiny ducklings under a bus in San Diego. The fellow who rescued them has hand raised them and they are happy healthy and friendly. The female lays every day and the male is crested. Because of a need to move he can no longer keep them. I raised 12 girls (no roosters) from chicks last year and wonder is it is going to be a problem introducing ducks. I have read that they have pretty much the same care needs with the addition of a pool of some sort. We have a large fenced area everyone roams during the day and a great coop with a fenced yard attatched that is wired above and below, nice nest boxes etc.. Any advice? Thanks!
 
My chickens and duck do not get along. My duck killed a chick after they pecked his feet to the point of bleeding. I would make a new run for them...

edited for spelling
 
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We had an opposite experience with ducks. My Dad had two fmelaes and a male duck for about a year (Until crazy neighbor poisoned them, along with most of our chickie flock...
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)

They got along good, but I have no idea if our experience was common or rare.
 
It's a space question, if they all have enough space, no big deal. There will be a bit of fighting, which is normal. Ducks fight better than chickens do so don't count on the chickens doing any serious damage. Chickens may gang up though so you may have to do the following.

Give the ducks the big space, take away all but three chickens for a day. and day by day add the chickens back.
Just make sure the food pot is near the water bowl, as they'll walk back and forth between food and water.

Ducks don't really need a pool. They'll mess it up real fast. Better a small tub, like a rubbermaid thing, and put a rock in it so they can get in and out. My ducks never got more than an old stock pot. They pulled water out and mad a mud pool. The chickens were more aggressive around the food pot so I sometimes had to put some grain in the water pot, they loved eating that way.
 
Baron, I don't quite understand.......divide the space? The large space has the ducks and three hens? Then add one more each day........am I keeping the same three in with the ducks, and am I housing them seperatly at night, I guess I would have to. I will have food and water on each side, what did you mean about them going back and forth between food and water, why is that bad? I am sorry to be so simple, but I am clearly confused. Thanks for your imput!
 
I've always had my chickens & ducks together w/no problem. Only thing I would watch out for since these haen't been raised togeth is the chickens pecking on the ducks. But right now I have a quad of rouens in the same 8x10 kennel w/my adult chickens & there are no problems...and that's a much smaller area than they are used to (they had a 20x10 run but we are trying to sell our house)
Kristi
 
We have had ducks and chickens together for many years with no problems. New chicks are hatched as well as new ducks and they seem to work everything out themselves.
The worst thing that happens is when we have to keep everyone in and the ducks want to use the waterers to make a pool for their aquatic enjoyment.
THANX RICH
 
I have my chooks and ducks together 24/7 and with no problems. The sleep in the same shed at night the only thing is I don't have large waterer's in there as the ducks make a hell of a mess and with damp floors cocci can be a pain.

I let them out early and they free range all day until roost time, when chooks and ducks put themselves to bed.

I have 9 Light Sussex hens, I LS Roo, 1 Langshan hen and 1 bantam hen of mixed breed.

$ Mussie Drakes + 6 females and 1 male + 1 female Elizabeths.

And they all co habitat fine
 
Thank you everyone!! I feel much better. The good part is all my hens get along great, almost no pecking order at all. We do have one bossy Cochin who will push around anyone who gets in her way, but pretty much a peaceful bunch of silly girls!
 

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