Adding chicks in with ducklings?

[PuddleSplash]

Our ducklings are about a week old (khaki campbells) and we're talking about adding some chicks in to raise for meat - can we put the chicks in the brooder with the ducklings at this point, or would the ducklings hurt them because of their size difference?

Thanks!

 

[PuddleSplash]

Also, how many square feet per bird will we need if we have them together?

 

[Kevin565]

What breed of chicks? I wouldn't personally raise chicks with ducks due to the mess factor ducks make.

 

[farmer boy]

i raised my ducks with my chicks it was fine for me but the mess they always made in the corner with the water ... how old are the chicks your getting ?

 

[PuddleSplash]

Thanks! We're not sure about age or breed yet, still deciding if that's what we want to do.

 

[jdywntr]

I also wouldn't add chicks to ducklings in a brooder. The chicks would need to already be older because ducklings grow very quickly and could easily trample very young chicks. Ducklings are also pretty gross. Sorry ducklings, love ya but its true.

Chicks won't appreciate the wetness and if the chicks are younger, the ducklings could get them wet which could chill and kill them.

If you are meaning literal meat chicks, Cornish X, I definitely wouldn't. They grow faster than most ducklings and due to their growth rate, need more attention to not have losses. Ducklings need feed 24/7 at first, cornish can die with too much feed. Check out the "meat bird" thread, lots of info on meat birds, mostly chickens.

 

[ChristineR]

I wouldn't combine them either, for all the reasons mentioned above. Also, I've noticed chicks pick on each other a lot more than ducklings. I would worry that they would peck at the ducklings.

 

[farmer boy]

like i said i raised mine together and they were fine no fighting nothing people keep saying no but i did and nothing happened so try it out if it doesn't work then split them up

 

[missnu01]

I had my brooder already set up with some chickens in it...and then I saw these super cute little mallard ducklings at TSC, and had to get 2...I knew they were way too small to be in with the Pekin ducklings in their brooder. So I was thinking I could put the mallards in with the chicks since they were about the same size...but the chicks had a lot to say about that...they just kept pecking at the mallards relentlessly...so I put the ducklings in their own little rubbermaid with a heating pad til we could go get another light...
So I wouldn't try to mix the 2...as I tried to mix the 2 and it didn't go too well. And ducks are way way way messier than chicks...by a whole lot.

 

[farmer boy]

no one listens to me its different with everyone .. mine were fine if a bad thing happened with yours does not mean it will happen to them .. mine had no problem with the ducks they were fine had no problem with each other