Are these good beginner breeds that play well with chickens?

[ForFlocksSake]

Got the itch and want to add 3 ducks to my flock of about 20 chickens (all females, no rooster, HUGE fenced in area to roam). I'll brood them the same way I brood chicks (I have a separate "see dont touch" extension on my run) and will use a kiddie pool once they're ready to swim. Eventually if we decide this is something we want to do we will make a permanent small artificial pond for them. Im ordering online from Mypetchicken as they have always been my go to place.

Here's my cart:
1 Khaki cambell
1 Pekin
1 Cayuga

All female. Are these good options for starting out?

Also, quick questions about duck keeping in general:
Our chicken coop won't accommodate ducks. They'd get pooped on sleeping on the floor. We're going to build a separate duck coop on the ground. Will they use a separate coop once everyone is integrated? Do they know to go home to their own home in the evening?

 

[HoneyBeeHomestead]

Hello, I have all 3 breeds, and they all would be good breeds to start out with! My ducks and chickens free range together sometimes, and I've never had an issue. As long as you have separate coops for them and a large run, you should be all good. The only thing I've noticed is that the chickens will back off when I'm giving everyone treats, and the ducks come over. But they just ignore each other the rest of the time. The ducks should be just fine using their own coop. You can use some food or treats to entice them at first, but they are pretty smart and remember where to go!

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Hello, I have all 3 breeds, and they all would be good breeds to start out with! My ducks and chickens free range together sometimes, and I've never had an issue. As long as you have separate coops for them and a large run, you should be all good. The only thing I've noticed is that the chickens will back off when I'm giving everyone treats, and the ducks come over. But they just ignore each other the rest of the time. The ducks should be just fine using their own coop. You can use some food or treats to entice them at first, but they are pretty smart and remember where to go!

Thank you! I ended up switching the Pekin for a Magpie since I read Pekins can be a bit noisy.

How do you handle their feed? I keep my chickens on 20% grower crumble at all times and supplement oyster shells on the side. I’ve never switched them to layer pellets and it really simplifies it for me to be able to feed all ages the same feed. Can ducks eat the same thing? I’ve been reading about niacin and I’m not sure how to tell the niacin content in my feed.

 

[HoneyBeeHomestead]

Thank you! I ended up switching the Pekin for a Magpie since I read Pekins can be a bit noisy.

How do you handle their feed? I keep my chickens on 20% grower crumble at all times and supplement oyster shells on the side. I’ve never switched them to layer pellets and it really simplifies it for me to be able to feed all ages the same feed. Can ducks eat the same thing? I’ve been reading about niacin and I’m not sure how to tell the niacin content in my feed.

I'd feed them a duck-specific feed, that way you know they are getting enough niacin. My ducks and chickens are both fed inside their coops. They don't really need access to the food while they are out together all day, they're all too busy looking for bugs to care much about feed.
If you wanted to check your current feed, all the nutrients should be listed somewhere on the bag or on the white paper tag they come with. It might also be under vitamin B3.