advice for pullets and ducks living together

[danahud]

Hi all,
i already have a flock of chickens but this spring we got 4 more chicks and 3 rouen ducks. All have feathered in and are ready to be moved outside. Weve made an additon on our current chicken lot and will keep the fence up in between the two until the pullets and ducklings have grown large enough to stand up against the older chickens.
The duck house we constructed has a simple roost in it for the chicks to sleep on at night while the ducks I guess will prefer to sleep in the floor. When the chicks are big enough we plan to move them into the actual coop with the older chickens so as not to be in the duck mess.
Im looking for any suggestions and advice on how to successfully grow out the chicks and ducks together as I have learned that ducks are very messy little creatures.
I have an extra nipple waterer i plan on using for the chick water, while Im guessing the ducks will prefer to drink from their pond.
Any suggestions on how to keep food from becoming gunky without having to feed seperately? keeping the mud mess down?Thanks for any suggestions!!

 

[Tuhmu]

I kept 2 geese and 5 call ducks with my chicks last year. The best thing I think is to have hanging feeders inside the coop and have one outside. Same thing with waterers (elevated, since there's not many hanging ones. I use cinder blocks). You said you have a pool for the ducks? That's a good thing, because the ducks will spend most of their time in and around that. For the most part, the ducks probably wont go in your coop during the day if they can find a cool spot outside.

The feeders inside seemed to stay somewhat clean doing this. The waterer should be changed daily anyway, so just a quick rinse with the hose usually takes care of the ducks mess.

 

[danahud]

Did you have a pool for yours? Any issues with drowning chickens ? I thought i would put a ramp in it so a clumsy chicken could find their way out. Southern States sells waterfowl food. Says it is for ducks ages 4 weeks and up. Should the ducks eat this AND laying mash?

 

[Tuhmu]

I gave them one of those blue kiddie pools and stacked a couple of little boards in front of it. I've never had a problem a problem with a chicken drowning. My ducks get the layer feed just like my chickens and they seem ok.

 

[danahud]

So far so good. They all just kind of stay to themselves, but snuggle up all together at night in their house.

 

[Tuhmu]

That's good! No swimming lessons for chickens or anything like that happen yet?

 

[danahud]

One of my barred rocks did fall in the pool the first day. They have since found their nipple waterer and stay away from the pool.

 

[Tuhmu]

I think they are actually good swimmers, I think they only drown when they get stuck. Just a random bit I remembered from who knows where lol. Glad she got out though! I suppose your duckies think that's the greatest thing ever? Mine would play in there's and get it messy in about 5 min. Personally I think they did it on purpose so that when I dumped it out, it would make a bunch of mud for them to stick their little beaks in. Which is right up their with pull fun-ness level!

 

[danahud]

I placed rocks in the pool just in case for the chicks. She hopped on one of those and got out. The ducks definitely love their pool to be "dirty." I cleaned it today and they have refused to swim in it since!

 

[danahud]

Put their dirty water in a backpack sprayer and sprayed on my veggie garden.