Can Ducks coexist with chickens

[buddhabrahma905]

I was thinking about getting 3 ducks this spring, 2 campbells and a pekin to raise alongside the chickens. I was wondering if they can live in the sane coop.

 

[Amiga]

Short version of a reply would be, sometimes under certain circumstances it works out.

If it is an all-girl flock, it ought to work out with the exception of someone deciding to be a pain in the neck, and time alone will tell.

But drakes with chickens is a danger to the chickens.

Ducks don't roost, so don't let them be stuck under chicken rear ends.

Ducks have a special relationship with water, so you would likely need to give the chickens water up where the ducks cannot get to it.

And the ducks may want a different kind of waterer.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

Our chicken coop is located right next to a pond, so water shouldnt be a problem, and seperate waterers and a safe nesting place could be provided. Is it a problem to keep 1 campbell drake among 8-9 chickens.

 

[malndobe]

I currently have 2 main flocks of chickens, and both have ducks with them. 1 is chickens (hens and roos), ducks (all drakes) and a turkey (used to be 4 but predators got 3). The other group is chickens (hens and roos) and 10 ducks (2 drakes). I haven't had problems with either group. All but 2 drakes are Indian Runners. They were raised around the chickens but not really with them, so they identify with the ducks, no identity crisis going on here They tend to keep to themselves in a group, they don't mix with the chickens except sometimes to get a drink. Otherwise they stay at their own end of the pen (35x35 and 12x30) and come to the feeders in the evening after the chickens go to roost. IR's are a very flocking breed, I rarely see the ducks more than 3 or 4 away from each other, if that.

In the one pen the drake hen ratio is 1:4 so I don't think they would look at the chickens "that way". In the other pen it's all drakes, but there are 3 roosters and 1 tom and I don't think they would allow the drakes to molest a hen if one tried. They turkey tends to not want the groups to mix and will chase the ducks off sometimes, the chickens are more relaxed about it, but I can't see the roosters allowing any attempts at breeding.

The biggest issue I've had with the mixed flock is a chicken drowning in the duck pond. It has shallow ends, but I guess she couldn't get to the end to get out. Not sure what happened as they will walk around in the shallow ends sometimes, but ... I use both nipple waterers and the ponds so the ducks can dunk their heads and swim around, but everyone has access to clean "duck mess free" water. Including the ducks, who drink from the nipples on a regular basis.

 

[StruckBy]

I've kept ducks & chickens in the same coop/run for 7 years. The only problem I've ever had is that ducks make water FILTHY so I try to keep a 'clean' waterer up on a platform a foot or so above the ground for the chickens since none of the ducks have been inclined to get up there. I'm not a huge fan of drakes to start with so don't have them often. I've frequently had 1 drake with 6-9 duck hens and 3-6 chickens with no problems. When I had individual problem drakes they were only problems with my duck hens not the chickens. Perhaps they would have become one but I don't tolerate aggressive males of any species. I do allow for VERY large spaces and don't lock them into the coop at night, just into the pen/coop area.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

From what i've hear, it'll be okay as long as I make some adjustments. Does anyone have some ideas on ducks breeds to get. I'm kinda wondering what our Family Farm and Home offers.

 

[donnavee]

I have ducks & chickens together during the day but separate housing at night. It's just easier as the ducks don't roost & sleep like the chickens.do. Ducks are also a lot messier. I have Magpies which are medium sized & call ducks. My drakes have never tried to mate a chicken and except for the 2 ducks hatched & raised by one of the hens, the ducks really stay to themselves most of the day. However, we have 20 ducks & 27 chickens - just a few ducks might do OK sleeping with the chickens.

 

[sourland]

Yes, ducks and chickens can coexist. Ducks tend to make a mess of their water so separate water supplies may be necessary. Every now and then a rogue drake will start breeding chicken hens - this can happen even when enough duck hens are available. The only solution to this is separation or the baking pan. One of the posters mentioned finding a dead hen in the ducks' pool. It is not beyond a drake to pull a hen into a pool and drown her while trying to mate. Drakes have penises - roosters do not. Drakes mating hens can result in serious physical injuries.

 

[StruckBy]

From what i've hear, it'll be okay as long as I make some adjustments. Does anyone have some ideas on ducks breeds to get. I'm kinda wondering what our Family Farm and Home offers.

I would do some research on what traits you want in your ducks. Egg laying? Size? Color? Volume (all ducks are noisy but some are REALLY noisy!)? I've had khaki campbells (for egg laying), Cayugas for color, silver Appleyards, Australian spotteds (for sheer cuteness), some cresteds (surprisingly good layers but I'm one of the people who is opposed to them ethically), a bunch of mixed breeds, Swedish, other odds & ends. Personally, I like the khakis the best because they're a nice size, seem to be better at predator evasion than other breeds, fantastic layers, and aren't as noisy as some of the others. But they aren't the fanciest. The only duck breed that I would NOT do is muscovies...I've never known them to successfully integrate into a mixed flock.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

Basically what i was thinking about were breeds such as the campbell, pekin, golden 300, or runner. I've heard some bad things about muscovies, so steering clear of them. Ideally they would be for meat or eggs. Moose Manor tuxedo dux could be a possibility too, but i havent checked if they ship hatching eggs
.