A house for a duck

[Mama Jo]

We started combining ours as well, but quickly went to their own duck area. Short (5 to 6 inch) rubber made boxes worked great as a pond and they were easy to clean out. A friend of mine kept her ducks with her hens for a while, but the constant moisture caused issues with the hens and they began to have issues with respiratory disease. Her vet told her to separate them so the ducks could be wet and the chickens could be dry. Hope that helps.

 

[JanPeac]

OK! My solo duck now has a buddy. But...it appears to be a Runner. I've attached a picture to this message of her. The rescue lady said this duck was a female. But I'm worried about the compatibility between this runner, and what I think my first duckling is - a Muscovy. Pictures below of her/him.

What do you guys think? Can these two ducks be friends, or have I just made things even more complicated in my little world of poultry?

Here's a picture of both ducks from the top (new duck on the right). You can't really tell from this picture, but she stands up tall like all of the runner pictures I've seen in this forum.



Here are two pictures of Ping, who is the first duckling who is a couple months old now.



It's getting a lot of beautiful green feather on its back and wings. Maybe too soon to tell what kind of duck?

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK! My solo duck now has a buddy. But...it appears to be a Runner. I've attached a picture to this message of her. The rescue lady said this duck was a female. But I'm worried about the compatibility between this runner, and what I think my first duckling is - a Muscovy. Pictures below of her/him.

What do you guys think? Can these two ducks be friends, or have I just made things even more complicated in my little world of poultry?

Here's a picture of both ducks from the top (new duck on the right). You can't really tell from this picture, but she stands up tall like all of the runner pictures I've seen in this forum.



Here are two pictures of Ping, who is the first duckling who is a couple months old now.



It's getting a lot of beautiful green feather on its back and wings. Maybe too soon to tell what kind of duck?

Are you worried because you think your Ping may be a drake, other than that I'd say they should do fine together. Ping looks small to be a Muscovy if she is already 2 months old. Can you do a close up of her face. Anyway congrats on your new duck she is very pretty.

 

[JanPeac]

I thought I had read somewhere that certain breeds of ducks don't get along with other breeds of ducks, so I was just worried about that. Not as worried that she's a drake, because we will deal with that issue when/if it comes up.

I'll take a a better picture of her face.

If she's not a Muscovy, what else could she be, or is it just too early to tell?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I thought I had read somewhere that certain breeds of ducks don't get along with other breeds of ducks, so I was just worried about that. Not as worried that she's a drake, because we will deal with that issue when/if it comes up.

I'll take a a better picture of her face.

If she's not a Muscovy, what else could she be, or is it just too early to tell?

The pic. of her on her back she almost looks like a Call duck, she looks so tiny. How are they doing together now? looks pretty good to me but your there observing.

 

[LissyB]

Congrats on the new duck! She is very pretty! They should get along together!

 

[Hayleigh Barnes]

I was given a duckling a few weeks ago. She is probably about 6 weeks now. We have 8 chickens, so the person who gave me this duckling thought I'd know what to do, but I've never had a duck before. Lots to learn! Things are going great, and she (he?) is getting used to hanging out during the day with our chickens. At night we have a brooding area where she has been sleeping. She is quickly getting too big for that area and will soon need to join the chickens full time.

I am am wondering if it is OK if she sleeps in with the chickens in their nesting area, or if it is better for the duck to have its own space at night.

Thanks for any help for this newbie duck owner (I love this duck btw)

I actually purchased my muscovy duck when she was 3 weeks old and my partner got an isa brown chicken at the same time who was 5 weeks old and we housed them together perfectly fine. The only problem (as a previous posted said) was the water thing. The duck needed to be able to dunk its head wheres the chicken was so young that it couldnt have a water bowl large enough for it to fall into, so they sorta cancelled each other out. So my compromise was to just get a super large chicken waterer (you know those really large bottle ones) and I would let her have a swim in the sink every day for a few minutes so she could clean herself off. Now shes humungous and free roams the backyard with her best friend henhen, where we have put in a plastic pond so she can clean herself whenever.

Funny thing is though Leonard (yes she is a female duck. i thought she was a boy.. haha) thinks she is a chicken. So when I added a white leghorn hen to the mix after they were both about 4 months old Leaonard was fine and Henhen lost it and kept attacking her (She thinks shes a duck)

On the other hand when I bought Leonard a six week old boyfriend a few days ago she FREAKED!! She keeps running away peeping and hides with the chicken Henhen, yet the Henhen who thinks shes a duck loved him :S

Odd little things..

 

[Miss Lydia]

I actually purchased my muscovy duck when she was 3 weeks old and my partner got an isa brown chicken at the same time who was 5 weeks old and we housed them together perfectly fine. The only problem (as a previous posted said) was the water thing. The duck needed to be able to dunk its head wheres the chicken was so young that it couldnt have a water bowl large enough for it to fall into, so they sorta cancelled each other out. So my compromise was to just get a super large chicken waterer (you know those really large bottle ones) and I would let her have a swim in the sink every day for a few minutes so she could clean herself off. Now shes humungous and free roams the backyard with her best friend henhen, where we have put in a plastic pond so she can clean herself whenever.

Funny thing is though Leonard (yes she is a female duck. i thought she was a boy.. haha) thinks she is a chicken. So when I added a white leghorn hen to the mix after they were both about 4 months old Leaonard was fine and Henhen lost it and kept attacking her (She thinks shes a duck)

On the other hand when I bought Leonard a six week old boyfriend a few days ago she FREAKED!! She keeps running away peeping and hides with the chicken Henhen, yet the Henhen who thinks shes a duck loved him :S

Odd little things..

 

[LissyB]

That's hilarious!

 

[JanPeac]

The new duck was missing all day...but she came back tonight be be tucked in, so all is good here.