Can keets be raised with ducklings?

[melroseladi]

My neighbors just got 2 ducklings and are wanting to buy my 3 keets that the silkies hatched out. They have the ducklings in a hutch while they build the coop. I have absolutely no experience with ducks so need advice on ducks and guineas being raised together. Will they need separate coops? My keets are 3 weeks old now are they two young to be put with ducklings?

 

[PeepsCA]

If the ducklings are smaller than the keets I'd be worried that the keets may pick on the ducklings. They also need different protein levels in their starter feeds, so that's another issue to consider. Later on they may or may not need separate coops it's hard to say. But just to warn you, eventually either those 3 keets will end up back over at your place or your whole flock will be over there, lol.

On a positive note, I do have a couple friends that bought keets from me that have raised them with ducks and geese, and they have no problems with everyone getting along (but they free range them all day and only coop/pen them at night).

 

[tomingreeneco]

I have both, but keep them in separate coops. They free range together during the day but basically leave each other alone. The guinea will go into the duck house to eat the duck food and if the ducks see them they will chase them out

My ducks rule the yard and the chickens and guinea stay out of their way!

 

[froggie71]

We successfully raised keets, chicks and ducklings in a brooder together. The biggest concern we had was how wet the ducklings can make everything including the keets. Even 1 duckling can make a heck of a mess. We always remove water and food at night to avoid too many issues. They also lived together in a coop great until breeding season. Then our guinea cock began to attack our drake. Once seperated they were fine.

 

[southern oaks]

I raise wood ducks. I attempted to start them with domestic ducks and lost alot of my wood ducks as the domestics grew so fast and pushed them away from the food. My last 5 I put in with new keets to get them eating and had great success. wood ducks are very small and it takes them a while to start growing. I would be concerned with leaving keets in with domestics to long. I think you would get the same thing I had with the wood vs domestic. But as a starter for a few days I dont think it would hurt.(IMO). I think my keets saved the last 5 wood ducks I had hatch. They are now seperate as the wood ducks are getting to be quite the swimmers and love to mess in water. Good Luck!

 

[melroseladi]

Thanks everybody for your input. I think I will hold off on moving them to the neighbors for a bit longer. My keets have done really well being raised by the silkies and have grown really well but this will be my neighbors first time raising guineas so I want to be sure the keets have a good start.