Brooding chicks and ducklings together

[HennyPenny44]

I got some chicks today at TSC and they’re teeny tiny! I want to add a few ducklings to the brooder at some point. I’ve watched people on YouTube do this but they don’t get the ducklings until the chicks are big enough to handle the ducks’ fast growth. At what age would you add the baby ducklings? Is it even advisable to do so? I’ve heard ducklings are messy but I would put their water bowl over a paint tray covered with mesh to catch the spillage...and change bedding more often too.

 

[IvysAnimals]

I personally wouldn't have the ducklings and chicks together because they grow at different rates, need different feeds and temperatures at different times, ducks are very messy, chickens love pecking, and both require a little bit of different care when they're young.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I personally wouldn't have the ducklings and chicks together because they grow at different rates, need different feeds and temperatures at different times, ducks are very messy, chickens love pecking, and both require a little bit of different care when they're young.

Thanks for the advice! I just wanted to introduce them all to the grown chickens at the same time. But from what you describe, it sounds a bit complicated so maybe I’ll just stick to different brooder boxes.

 

[Isadora]

So are you planning to have all of the adults, (chickens and ducks) live together?

 

[HennyPenny44]

So are you planning to have all of the adults, (chickens and ducks) live together?

Yes, the ducks might get their own coop if they get too messy in the chicken coop but a shared run is the plan.