Adjoining housing for chickens and ducks

[GregnLety]

Has anyone housed ducks and chickens in close proximity? I will finish the house for the silkies this weekend and the north side will adjoin the duck pen. In the yard they avoid each other but there's lots of space. I put up a wire wall between the two coops and due to the silkie coop being unfinished I temporarily covered that with 2 metal sheets. Should I leave the lower sheet on so they have no direct contact with each other once the silkie coop is finished?

 

[Crazy Maizie]

It's my understanding that silkies are delicate and aren't to get too wet (like a gremlin). I'd keep the ducks water out of the coop for sure. Even though I don't keep water in my duck's coop, they off put a lot of moisture. How is the ventilation? I would be hesitant to house ducks with silkies, but that's just due to reading about them, not actually owning silkies. My ducks and chickens are in the same pen/run area and they have shared spaces that I can close off if needing to be separated.But, they have separate coops. I have had a muscovy hen that likes to sleep in the chicken coop with no issues.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I would be hesitant to house ducks with silkies, but that's just due to reading about them, not actually owning silkies. My ducks and chickens are in the same pen/run area and they have shared spaces that I can close off if needing to be separated.But, they have separate coops. I have had a muscovy hen that likes to sleep in the chicken coop with no issues.

That's the setup we have too. I don't think I'd house them together, but they do fine sharing a yard when they have the space.

 

[GregnLety]

For now I'll leave the lower sheet of metal in place as a divider but will probably remove it before summer. On the south and east side, the coop will be open from waist high because of the hot n humid summers. Will put an exhaust fan on the west side to suck out the hot air.

It's my understanding that silkies are delicate and aren't to get too wet (like a gremlin). I'd keep the ducks water out of the coop for sure. Even though I don't keep water in my duck's coop, they off put a lot of moisture. How is the ventilation? I would be hesitant to house ducks with silkies, but that's just due to reading about them, not actually owning silkies. My ducks and chickens are in the same pen/run area and they have shared spaces that I can close off if needing to be separated.But, they have separate coops. I have had a muscovy hen that likes to sleep in the chicken coop with no issues.

 

[bhaugh]

Silkies have no water proofing to speak of. That would be my only concern other your basic drake problems or mean grumpy setting ducks.

 

[GregnLety]

They'll be side by side but separate.