BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Ducks › Can ducks and chickens live together?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Can ducks and chickens live together?

post #1 of 6
6/16/12 at 6:48am
Thread Starter 

I have 10 chickens. All are girls. There are 5 3 month "Gold Stars", 1 barred rock cochin bantam hen, 1 belgium quail hen (supposedly a shortened name for them?) 1 belgium  quail pullet, 1 red frizzle bantam pullet, and one blue frizzle pullet. Pullets range in age but are all very young. We are finishing their run today which is 9' by 10' by 6 ft tall. Their coop is still in the planning stage. but the plans say it will be 2 floors. It will be 4.5 ft long, 2.5 ffet wide, and 4.5 feet tall. so the lower level is 2.5 feet and the upper one 2 ft. up stairs will have 3 nests. Would it be alright to add one or two ducks to this?

I was thinking small ducks like calls, but would those both the neighbors? We live in town

Reply
Reply
post #2 of 6
6/16/12 at 8:45am

Female ducks live with chickens quite well usually.  Most female ducks have a loud penetrating quack . . . which may or may not be tolerated by close neighbors.  If your area doesn't allow roosters, than it is possible the ducks would not be appreciated.   The breeds vary in how much they talk -- I believe call ducks were bred to quack loudly as duck decoys for hunters.   Other breeds are quieter but still will quack when coming for food, or excited about something -- sometimes even randomly at night. 

 

The only exception to the quacking is muscovy ducks, who are nearly silent.  They are bigger ducks though and some do not find their looks appealing.   They are more seasonal layers and are able to fly. 

 

Male ducks do not quack -- have a raspy quiet voice instead.   However, male ducks will often harass female chicken hens and can fatally injure them by trying to mate.  

 

I have ducks with my chickens and have never had problems - but I have a ratio of 1 male duck to 5 female ducks, and we live on a farm.  I don't think I would be bothered in town by a quacking duck, but other people might be . . . I'm sure that someone will be able to tell you more specifically about calls -- they aren't a breed I have experience with. 

EE, Buff Orp, Jersey Giant, White Silkie, Barred Rock, Dominique, Cuckoo Maran, Welsummer and Cochin chickens,  9 Welsh Harlequin ducks, 2 Rouen ducks,  9 American Buff geese, one patient husband, 4 children of assorted ages from 5 - 15
Reply
EE, Buff Orp, Jersey Giant, White Silkie, Barred Rock, Dominique, Cuckoo Maran, Welsummer and Cochin chickens,  9 Welsh Harlequin ducks, 2 Rouen ducks,  9 American Buff geese, one patient husband, 4 children of assorted ages from 5 - 15
Reply
post #3 of 6
6/16/12 at 9:02am

I have never had any problems with keeping my ducks and chickens together. As of now, I have 5 ducks and 16 chickens living together. (I have a sixth duck but she is laying on eggs right now). If you do decide to get ducks, you should research breed and decided which would be best for you. What are you mainly looking for? If you want them for laying, you should try a pekin, cayuga, Khaki campbell, etc. If you are looking for meet birds than you should try rouens. etc, etc.

I've got 2 cats, Dyllen and Star. I have 17 chickens; 3 BLRW, 3 mutts, 2 EEs, 2 White Rock roosters, 1 RIR, 1 White Leghorn, 1 Red Star, 1 Golden Campine, 1 unknown hen, 1 Partridge cochin, and 1  Golden Polish. I also have 1 Swedish/Black Indian Runner with her three ducklings.

Reply

I've got 2 cats, Dyllen and Star. I have 17 chickens; 3 BLRW, 3 mutts, 2 EEs, 2 White Rock roosters, 1 RIR, 1 White Leghorn, 1 Red Star, 1 Golden Campine, 1 unknown hen, 1 Partridge cochin, and 1  Golden Polish. I also have 1 Swedish/Black Indian Runner with her three ducklings.

Reply
post #4 of 6
6/16/12 at 9:05am

I have 4silkie hens and runner ducks that live in a large coop together,and I haven't had any problems yet. I have 1 drake and 2 females( Im getting a couple more females in near future) I think because my ducks were young when introduced to chickens they seem to get along. THe only time I see trouble is when I have treats that I want to hand feed, and my female duck will get the chickens to move, but they don't hurt them or any thing. big_smile.png

3 white Silkie hens, 2 Indian Runner ducks( drakes), 1 golden laced and 2 silverlaced wyandottes, austalorp rooster, and a loveable lab, Kyuss.

 

Reply

3 white Silkie hens, 2 Indian Runner ducks( drakes), 1 golden laced and 2 silverlaced wyandottes, austalorp rooster, and a loveable lab, Kyuss.

 

Reply
post #5 of 6
6/16/12 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 

I want calls because they are smaller, but they are loud. Would a boy or two be able to live with the chickens?

Reply
Reply
post #6 of 6
6/16/12 at 11:16am

I have had indian runner ducks for over 2 years now and last fall I bought me 4 laying hens and a rooster. I no longer have the rooster in with them because of city bylaw but my male and 2 females have lived with the hens for over 9 months now and everything seems good. I have noticed the male nibble on the combs of the hens but has never tried to mate with them. The female ducks can quack loudly but not usually, mostly when they are spooked or I am too slow letting them out in the morning. As far as size goes I have no idea if having a bigger duck with smaller chickens is that good of an idea. I know that my runner ducks will just trample anything in its way... I did have one muscovy duck last year as well and she would actually roost with the hens instead of laying on the floor with the other ducks. I think if you had males they would try to mate with the hens which could cause some damage and possible death in a chicken.

Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Ducks
BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Ducks › Can ducks and chickens live together?