Can chickens and ducks live together?

[Allie Grace Sanders]

My baby chicks came in. Two died. I wanted to replace them with a feed store chicks. But I don't want 6 more chickens. Can baby ducks and baby chickens live together? I would absolutely love a couple ducks, though. Can I put them in the same brooder? Thanks in advance!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ducks are messy and wet, chicks need to stay dry so they are best brooded separately to avoid problems.

 

[livnandlvn]

My adult dumps did not play well with my chickens. The drake accostedy hens, and tired their combs so badly that the ducks got rehomed to the pond across the street. Just my experience though.

 

[Allie Grace Sanders]

Ducks are messy and wet, chicks need to stay dry so they are best brooded separately to avoid problems.

Ok, can I brood them in a plastic tote?

EDIT: I use a heat lamp

 

[llombardo]

I presently have 4 chicks and 3 ducks in a brooder. 4 chicks and one duck came home the same day and two ducks two days later. I have learned slot in the last couple days. I learned that ducks are messy if water is involved. The first night I made the mistake of leaving the water in the brooder over night. Oh boy what a mess in the am. So last night I put the ducks in the bath tub and let thrm play for an hour. Cleaned up the brooder. Dried them off and within 1 hour all were sleeping cuddled together. In the am, no mess and happy chicks and ducks that ate breakfast out if my hand.

Don't know what I was thinking when I listened to the guy at the store when they recommended this large metal dish for them because that is clearly not going to work. So now I'm trying to figure out how to build an extended run to the coop so they have an area where a small pool can go. Not sure how this will work in the winter because I'm pretty sure they will need this all year round. I'm not feeling comfortable leaving them in the extended coop(with chicken wire as a cover) when I'm at work all day. I do come home at lunch and I can check on them, but I'm still very nervous about it.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok, can I brood them in a plastic tote?

EDIT: I use a heat lamp

A plastic tote can work for duckling if you are worried about wetness. It won't keep any chicks kept with them dry, nor their feed.

 

[Allie Grace Sanders]

Also, they will all end up living together. What is the best breed to get along with chickens, can't fly, and has lower food consumption, and lays a good amount of eggs?

 

[llombardo]

tge video I have is to big, tomorrow I will get a shorter clip of them in the tub. They remind me of otters in the tub.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Also, they will all end up living together. What is the best breed to get along with chickens, can't fly, and has lower food consumption, and lays a good amount of eggs?

Often when ducks and chickens are kept together drakes may try mating chicken hens and cause damage in doing so. Brooding the species together can make that scenario more likely as species end up thinking they are all the same. It's always best to keep them separately.

 

[Chickygirl63]

I had ducks and pullets in a pen together last year...the ducks played in the kiddies pool and pullets stayed away except to get a drink...