Advice on whether to buy ducks...

[alienkitties]

Hi - I have a 5-acre property in Derby, KS with a large pond. We were thinking of buying some ducks when we supplement our chicken flock this spring. I need to decide whether to or not. And if so, how to integrate them. I don't know if I want them friendly, or just wild...

And, I have heard that I shouldn't keep them with my flock of chickens, but we only have the one coop. I LIKE having chickens, and while only one of the flock is people friendly, I enjoy their antics, and the fresh eggs! I have heard that ducks are nicely social, and could become people friendly without too much effort, but don't know if that is good. I wish I could just let them live at the pond all day, but was told they would get eaten if they don't get corralled at night like the chickens. Hmmm. Maybe they can sleep with the chickens at night, and be let out in the morning?

Do they need to be fed daily, or is forage enough?

My pond has fish, will the fish pull down the ducks? (Catfish/can't remember the other big ones) I have to assume there are turtles in their too, although I haven't found snappers...

And, how many is good? Do I have to have a drake, or can I just keep a few girls around? Do they get along ok?

I am hoping to place my order soon, and would love any advice that could help me make the decision...

 

[NovaAman]

they can eat the same as chickens. Freewill eat the smaller fish. You could build a duck coop near the pond. All it needs is 3 sides, a roof and good hardware cloth for spring summer and fall, and a way to block snow and cold in winter. I wouldn't put ducks in with chickens unless they came up together. Rucksack be extremely messy. I have both. They are separate. The ducks are more friendly and just plain funny as all get out. So I vote for getting them.

 

[Kevin565]

Quote:

 

[JulieNKC]

Kevin565 answered perfectly.

 

[Irregardless]

Glad someone asked this.

Just had a friend that knows I just ordered more chicks text me asking:
"Want to go in on a duck order?"

Naturally I reply back with "Sure, I think I could use a few."

Searching now for "3 sided coop"... I don't know how that's any better than no coop. Apparently I'm missing something (how shocking!)

 

[alienkitties]

Where we live it is VERY windy - it is not uncommon to have sustained winds of over 40mph for days on end, but the wild ducks in the area never seem to have a problem with it. My concern is more to provide wind protection in the colder weather and for nesting. (Tornado alley...) Many days of gusts 50-65mph.

I am sure my husband doesn't want to spend any more money on a duck coop too! We just bit the bullet to build a good chicken coop that would stand up to the CONSTANT nasty winds out here. I know they wouldn't be able to survive the nights out here. Something likes the availability of our chickens as it is... During the day they are in a fenced area without a roof - but it is about 5-6ft high. We allow them free range for about 3 hours a day near night before lights out. But the majority of my chickens are not overly friendly - all the nice ones ended up ran over or eaten by something... darn it. I lost 2 adult chickens this year - 1 got hit by a car, 1 unknown killer, possibly a hawk but it didn't get to finish her? And we had a nice batch of 5 babies that in one day ALL of them disappeared... can't figure that one out either. They were just shy of being big enough to keep with my regular flock. I had them with the brooder mommy in a side coop. Something got in during the night and got 3, then in the morning, the other 2 were gone. No sign of em anywhere. No feathers, no blood. Just no pullets.

So I am mildly concerned about keeping baby ducks alive on their own too. I would like to keep them with the baby chicks I order, but I was warned that they could squish the chicks? That limits me on whether or not I can get them. I would need them to grow up with the baby chicks until they are big enough to protect themselves from the full flock - about 2 months old or so...

Any more thoughts on that?

 

[Tahai]

Quote:
Rats, maybe?