Buff Orpington chicks and Khaki Campbell ducks in one coop??

[dahlilas~duckies]

We thinking of getting 2 Buff Oprinton chicks, 4 khaki campbell ducklings. would like to only build one large coop and run for the whole family but not sure about everyone getting along. Any thoughts???

We are very new to this... All your thoughts will be appreciated as we are still learning... Thanks

 

[jayleo]

I've put Silkies and Call Ducks in the same pen..no problems. I've also had Silkies hatch Call Ducks, the chicks seemed confused, but happy

 

[Duck Mad]

I believe they would get along fine, I would only put all females together.. My drakes cant tell the difference between female chickens and female ducks join breeding season haha, the poor chickens dont approve.. as long as you cater for all their needs, all should be good

 

[dahlilas~duckies]

Thank you!!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

they'll be fine, all my ducks and chickens live together. Sometimes the young roos will try and breed the ducks, that would be a cool cross!

 

[dahlilas~duckies]

Thank you!!!

 

[coloradowildflower]

When we started our flock two years ago, I was in the same boat. I read on BYC that it wasn't usually a good idea because the ducks were so messy. But then, I went to the feed store . . . and they were so cute . . . I ended up getting 2 Blue Swedish and one Khaki Campbell duck to go in with my 9 baby chicks.

I don't mean to discourage, but I found that it was not a good idea. From the beginning, the ducks were SO messy that the brooder was a swamp. AND they grew like CRAZY, so the size difference was really a problem. I was afraid that one of the chicks would get hurt or smothered, so I had to set up a separate brooder for the ducks. When they were grown, they were still so much messier and bigger than the chicks that I built them their own house and run.

Unfortunately, I found that I was not the ideal parent to ducks, because they adored being messy and loud and I did not adore those qualities. They were just SO much more mess than my chickens and they were VERY loud, which I didn't expect at all. When they were about 3 months old I gave them to a good friend of mine who has a pond and a special duck pen. They have raised several clutches of ducklings and she drops some eggs by for me every couple of months and I'm much happier with just my chicken flock.

Soooo, in answer to your question, I would not plan on them living together as babies. As adults, if you want to try, I'd suggest making sure that the chickens have a separate, dry place to nest and roost so that they can get up out of the horrendous mess that your ducks will make with their drinking water.

I hope that's helpful! Good luck!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I wouldnt raise them together either, mine eat different feed and the water issue. I have the water outside during the summer so the mess is not an issure and during the winter its only available long enough for them to drink, then I take it away again. Otherwise they do make a mess

 

[Sunshyne276]

I've heard of ducks and chickens coexisting well together... But.. Last year I had two ducks in with the hens. I went to let them out one morning, and my younger Pekin duck was a gruesome site!

At LEAST one of the hens (I caught her doing it, she was a silver laced Wyandotte) was eating him alive!! His back was a bloody mess, a wide gaping hole!!! I don't know if this kind of thing is typical or not?

 

[BorderKelpie]

The only problems I have had was recently. I lost my poor frizzled cochin Q-Tip when she flew/fell into the wading pool and drowned.

The ducks are insanly messy, too. I won't put feather footed chickens in with mine ever again. (Probably not ever mix them again anyway. Fishing a drowned chicken out of the pond was heartbreaking and preventable. I am sooo angry with myself for that one.)

edited because I forgot that punctuation is my friend