Can ducks share a coop with chickens?

[FluffyColor]

I am looking into hatching ducks along with chickens. The question is, will the ducks sit weel being housed with the chickens and just a seperate pool all to themselves?

Thank you.

 

[ChickenToes]

I don't think it's the best arrangement, but people do it all the time. Ducks are so messy, I wouldn't want them with other birds. And I have had ducks fascinated with chickens' tail feathers in the past...my eyes about popped out of my head the day I opened the door of the coop and my hen ran out, minus her tail feathers!

I would suggest just trying it - if it works for you, then that's all that matters.

 

[sianara]

Quote:
I agree with this. For me personally, I don't like mixing the ducks and the chickens. I have separate yards for all of them but if I had a big barn I might consider mixing them all in one place but since that will happen when HE double hockey sticks freezes over I'm gonna have to stick with my separate yards

 

[sianara]

Quote:
I've got the visual

and it's a good one!

 

[dumb_cluck]

Ducks are smarter than chickens. I wouldn't put mine together with my chicks 'cause I KNOW there would be a problem.

I can just imagine my sly ducks chasing and tormenting the chickens. Not good.........unless you need feathers for a new pillow

 

[farmertank]

I have my ducks, geese, chickens, and guineas all together. Mind you they have a coop that the chickens go in, but the ducks and geese don't when the weather is not bad. They have a fenced in area around the coop that is predator proof that they are shut in at night. Plus they have a truck topper that is open at both ends they can go into at night, the chickens don't go in there, I guess they know it's not for them. Other than that they free range all day and stick to there own groups. The pools are in the fenced in area, but not near the coop. My chickens are never messy because of the ducks and geese and I never see them fight or anything, they all have their tail

. This is the way I have been doing things for years without any trouble. I think it just depends on your setup and if they are raised from babies together.

Good luck on what you decide

Julie

 

[jwalters]

My duck thinks shes a chicken besides she likes to swim so I put a 3' kiddie pool in the run with her and the chickens and they all seem to do fine she actually will avoid the chickens for most of the day then she goes right in the coop with them and sleeps on the floor

 

[JMPE]

I think one of the biggest factors is space. They will all need room to do their own thing. I have a girlfriend in CA who has a small flock of each. They have tons of room and stay near each other, but don't really mix or bother one another. At night the chickens have a coop and the ducks have a... well whatever you call it that ducks use for cover. It works for her.

 

[sydney13]

i have a goose living with my hens and they all follow the goose around

i would provide a lot of space because the ducks will grow faster and you want to chicks to have room to get out of the ducks way. my goose used to loves pulling the feathers out of my fluffy silkie but i trained her not to by saying NO to her when she tried to. i think as long as they are raised together they will get along fine.
i would keep a kiddie pool in your yard for when they free range so that the run will stay cleaner

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I had my goose with my hens, and I went away overnight, and he drowned them in the water bowl. It was the most heartbreaking, disgusting thing to come home to. I was horrified/sad/furious etc. My DH is currently working on a mini-barn 8x12 for all my birds, ducks, geese and chickens, and I am going to put the geese/ducks UNDERNEATH the front edge, 3x12... so they're secure (inside the good fence) but not having access to the hens all night. also, pooping outside is good.