3 chicks and a duckling in the same brooder....anyone have this also?

[itsjustjen]

We have 3 chicks and a duckling in our brooder but the duckling seems to be warmer than the chicks when I have the light at one height but if I raise it for his comfort, the chicks huddle to his side trying to keep warm.

Should I seperate them? Duckling and 1 chick are about 3 weeks and the other 2 chicks are about 2 1/2 weeks.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

While it is possible to brood chicks & ducklings together, it's not ideal. You need another duckling!

Honestly, you can raise these babies together, just keep in mind that the duckling will grow at a faster rate than the chicks, and could trample/crush them if there's not enough room in their box. The duckling will also make more of a wet mess with both ends, by dribbling in the water with his beak and making a lot of loose wet poops. Chicks don't do as well in wet environments, it can make them sick, so you'll have to keep changing the flooring/bedding.

As soon as possible put them outdoors in the grass. They can spend the days in a bottomless wire cage. Make sure the top is covered & block any wind with boards on those sides.

In your current set-up you can keep the heat light on one side of the brooder box and let them decide how near/far to it they wish to stay. A good brooder set-up has both warmer & cooler areas and allows the babies to find their most comfortable places.

 

[Winggedheart]

I've got fourteen chicks and four ducklings in one of my couple brooders. Only have so many broodlights, so they're having to share, lol.

 

[cbrown86]

I had 2 ducks with my 5 chicks. 4 of my chicks died. I took the last chick out and she is doing great now. I can't say if that's why the others died, but someone told me it could be the case bc ducks are really messy and splash water everywhere. Now, I think it would be fine when they move to the run bc there is more room for them to be messy. Lol. and like itsjustjen said, my ducks seem to be warmer than the chicks, so I have them set on the floor in their tub, and my chicks set on the toilet, closer to the lamp. Seems to work good for my critters.

Post some pics, I want to see your ducks!

 

[itsjustjen]

The brooder is being built as I type this. It will be 2' by 5' with the light suspended over one end. The duckling is making a HUGE mess but seems to be very attached to the chicks. It chirps like mad without them....maybe I should get another duckling....

 

[cbrown86]

One of my ducklings throws a fit when I take the other out. To the point of running in circles in the tub, flapping it's wings and chirping so much, it literally sounds like crying. Oddly enough, it's the bigger of the 2 who is the whiny butt! Haha. It is also my hubby's duck, so maybe that explains it.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Quote:

Duck Math.

 

[itsjustjen]

We went to TSC today to see what they had...nothing! So now we have to wait. The feed store where we got Puff ( duckling ) only has Pekings left, we have a Blue Swedish and wanted another one if possibly.

Oh, the brooder would be finshied today IF....I hadn't measured wrong, over stretched the wire, and thought I could do it alone. BIG MISTAKE!! So tomorrow we are going back to lowes and getting the mesh wire instead of the old fashioned chicken wire as it easily overstretched, got mishapen and became a huge pain in my butt!

Needless to say I don't think my DH will let me near another hammer for a while.

 

[phasian]

I agree with Sunny Side Up. Brooding chicks with ducklings is less than ideal. Their needs and feeding are different. Ducks should never receive medicated chick crumbles as they will ingest a lot and can the amprolium can poison them.

Even if the feed store has a different breed than you desire, it makes since to get another duckling. You can always rehome/sell it at maturity. I have also had success with brooding goslings and ducklings together.

When I brood my ducklings, I place their food & water on a cookie sheet set on top of their bedding. It helps immeasurably with keeping the bedding from getting soggy.

I find that my ducklings really only need supplemental heat for about 3-4 weeks.

Once they are mature, they live in my large run in the company of chooks, geese, and guinea fowl.

 

[itsjustjen]

Quote:
In the brooder we added a removeable section to seperate the duckling(s) and the chicks. I can't believe how messy the duckling is! He was DH's choice btw...go figure