Can I keep my chicken and ducks in the same pin

[Ravynscroft]

I am in the duck pen doing room service, I aim to give a full response tonight. Hugs!!

Thanks Amiga!!!

You're awesome!

 

[Amiga]

Can I use a kiddie pool for swimming? Actually, I had to order same chicks but they were out of Blue Swedish so I got Blue Runners. I seen somewhere a tote with a hole cut out for a door. And I seen a med. size dog house. would that work? It said they can fly a little like 2 feet or so. Will they run away?

My adult Runners use a kiddie pool for swimming. As ducklings, they started out with bath time in a metal cake pan, then moved to the tub. No soap, water the same temperature as the brooder, just up to the tops of their legs. Don't leave them alone in the tub. They get tuckered out quickly. I put them right back into the brooder, and if they did not start preening right away, I would dry them with a dry washcloth.

My eleven Runners fit fine in a 4ft by 2 ft Rubbermaid bin (about 1.5 ft high, with hardware cloth for a lid, edges taped) for two weeks. So how many ducklings are you getting?

Where are you going to put the brooder? Mine was in the spare room - away from cats, drafts, and miscellaneous trouble.

If they trust you, and know you are the bringer of yummies, they will usually stay close by, but not always. At the same time, I am one who will not let my Runners free range. I live in the suburbs, and there are dogs, cats, owls, hawks, coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and fishers. Nope. I take them for walks on our property, and sometimes they get so carried away foraging they start wandering toward the neighbor's place. So I direct them back. When I am not with them they are in a pen.

 

[junebuggena]

You do have to be careful about housing drakes with chickens. If they don't have enough female ducks, they can turn to breeding the chickens. This can end up killing the hens.

 

[Nvazquez]

Great news!!! I ordered 3 hen & 1 roo Barred Rock. 3 duck & 1 drake Runners. Brooder is in my kitchen (LOL)... I have a 3" deep tote for play time!! All that is around here is wild animals. I live way out in the country! Back yrs ago I hatched a Pekin that we had till it would not get out of creek and something got to it over night! I will have to chain up my dog when I let ducks out! He runs off all wild animals! However, I will make sure he NEVER gets to the birds when they are free! Hatchery said I CANNOT keep ducklings & chicks in the same brooder. I did see that when I just hatched out some chicks & a duckling that it seemed to work out fine! Was that a mistake? I fed them chick starter, UltraKibble & chick grit is that not ok? I got yelled at for that and told they are NOT chicks!!! I'm I going about this all wrong? Like I said I did this before but never research anything. Now that I spent time on the internet ( sites about raising ducks/chicks) I'm just confused! All of you here at BYC help way more than ever!!! I guess one thing I have learned is to quit googling all my info! Thanks..