Can I raise Ducks with chickens?

[robot rooster]

Here is the situation...

I started out with 8 chickens and slowly they have started dieing. I do not know what has killed them, but I want to start raising ducks instead (this was my third attempt) I heard ducks are virtually disease free, but can I put them in the same cook I had for the chickens or will they catch whatever it was they had?

I assume I can free range them, and plan on it. I have a pond that they can hand out in.

Any more advise is helpful

Thanks

 

[duckyfromoz]

It would depend largely on what your chickens died from. Ducks are a lot hardier than chickens- but can also be susceptible to the same ailments, and some issues all their own as well.

At the very least you should ensure the coop is well cleaned out before you house ducks in there, it could also be of great benefit to your remaining chickens. Ducks can be very messy though- and if you have sick chickens- is probably better not to have ducks at the same time. They will mess up a coop very quickly with just the drinking water which could pose further problems for the birds you have left.