A Pekin duck found me

[Lil'ChickFarm]

She was running loose in my neighbor hood.
I caught her and she is in my baby coop.
Please educate me. She is very tame. I hold her and pet her. Is that normal for them?
I mean she is nervous some, but doesn't bite.
Will she be ok with my chickens?

Please chime in if you keep chickens and ducks together. Poor little thing came to me as if directed by God. She needed help.

 

[sheila3935]

Good for you for taking her in. I wonder if she was someone duck that they got tired of. Sad to say but people will get ducklings for their kids and then when they grow up dont know what to do with them so they let them go. She must have had alot of handling. I have a Pekin that she does not want to be held or picked up, but we didnt hold her alot when she was small as we had a brooder full at that time and they didnt get alot of one on one holding time. They can live with the chickens but will make a mess of your chicken coop. She really needs a friend of her own If you can find another duck I recommend finding her a friend. They do ok with chickens but prefer a friend of the own kind. Any other duck will do. Doesnt have to be a Pekin. I have a Khaki Campbell, 3 Campbell/Runner mixes and my Pekin. They love each other. If she is a girl she will lay you an extra large egg about every other to every 3rd day or at least thats what mine does.

 

[Amiga]

If you're sure it's a girl, then just some modifications especially with watering should work. Each duck, each flock of chickens is different, so no one knows exactly how your situation will turn out.

If it's a drake, you need to keep him away from the hens, because he may try to mate with them and since there is a serious equipment mismatch, it could seriously injure the hens.

Does the duck quack or kind of mumble? Quackers are girls, mumblers (also whisperers, whistlers, hoarse-sounding ducks) are boys.

Ducks don't roost, so they need a spot where they won't get pooped on from above.

They need water deep enough to wash their entire heads in, at a minimum, to avoid deadly eye, ear or sinus infections.

Their nature is to splash water, and their bills cannot help but dribble when they drink.

They stay at their best in health when they can bathe daily, even in a large bucket or concrete mixing pan or kiddie pool.

There are several topics discussing cohabitation, so take a look at those.

Good for you, taking that duck in!

 

[Kevin565]

If she's this friendly she was probably someones pet at one time. Also yes she can live with your chickens. She will most likely make a mess with her waterier but this is very manageable.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

What a lucky duck that she found you!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Just because she was wandering around loose, does not mean she is abandoned and homeless. Before you can keep her, I suggest that you make some effort to find her home just in case she is an escapee and someone is frantic about her.

At a minimum, post "Found Duck" posters on a few telephone poles for a few blocks around. Make the callers describe the duck before releasing her to their custody.

I would put a "found duck" ad on Craigslist and call the animal shelter and file a "found pet" report.

If no one claims her, then you can keep her, but you really should make at least a minimal effort to find out if someone is looking for their pet.

 

[Baptist1611]

awesome to find a duck they can live with chickens, and it sounds like this one is very tame. is she lost? someone may have lost her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[Miss Lydia]

X2

What a lucky duck that she found you!

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

Hi everyone and thanks for the responses. I did put an ad on craigs list and no one came forward. I have decided that she needs duck friends and tomorrow she is going to live with other ducks and a pond. She is beautiful but not totally tame, so I am not sure if she was reared alone or not. I don't want her to be depressed though and I am worrying too much about her, so she has a new owner already. At least I felt that I saved her from the dangers of running for her life in a neighborhood without food or possibly water and where cats reside.