Can you keep chickens/quail/ducks together?

[beakkeeper]

I know that ducks have to have access to water, and chicken's probably shouldn't be near a pond, so what's the scoop?

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, chickens and ducks will probably injure your quail. Then your chickens will probably not do so well and have increased soil born pest risks due to ducks keeping everything wet. Your best bet is to have three different places for them, unless you barn them together and their day areas aren't shared.

 

[conny63malies]

well i have a banty chicken that runs with the muscovy ducks which dont have a pond and dont need one. i remember when i was a kid a neighbor had a small stream running right next to the coop and they had chickens and ducks together as well. Qual and duck/chicken re not as good together ,but quail and parakeets work.

 

[ChanceRider]

I don't have quail, but my 2 ducks and 9 chickens are in the same coop and run together. The ducks' "pond" (a large livestock trough) is kept outside of the run. A few times a week I let the ducks out for their swim. It's funny... when they've had enough swim time they hop out of the trough and head toward the pen.

I enjoy watching their antics... they seem to get along just fine.

 

[monarc23]

Well, with ducks theres the mess factor, also ducks could possibly try to mate with the chickens and the quail (which would probably kill the quail)....chickens may also try to mate with the quail which...again would probably kill the quail. One hard peck from a chicken on a quails head...probably would equal death.

Quail are full ground birds which means no perching out of the mess the ducks and chickens would make.

This idea just rings potential disease and death to me, i personally wouldnt attempt it.


Free range ducks and chickens though i dont see a problem with but caged together...nah...too risky imo.

 

[Giddyup]

We have chickens, indian runner ducks and australian spotted ducks. I free range them and they all go in the same coop at night. The ducks have enough floor space not to be underneath the chickens and i do not keep food/water in the coop overnight.

Having experienced trying to keep banty ducks with the tall girls though, I would be careful with the quail as I don't know how tuff they are. Sometimes the little guys get run over on the way to teh pool but all is fine in the coop.

I have never seen a drake attempt to breed a chicken, nor the other way around and do not believe they would attempt it. however, that is why i do not have a runner drake as I don't want to risk injury to my banty duck.

 

[Akane]

Quail shouldn't be mixed with other poultry. They actually do ok with flying birds. People will keep them in the bottom of aviaries to clean up after finches, parakeets, and parrot species. Given the chance quail will disappear so unless all your birds are locked up 24/7 the quail would run off anyway.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
^ I've actaully read stories on here of ducks attempting it, or Roos attempting it on small ducks (and roos attempting it on poor quail). So yes it does happen.

 

[Sarree]

My call ducks try to mate with my pigeons! Not a good combination!

These two little call ducks, named Duck Tracy, and Jasper would wait at the bottom of the steps for a particular pigeon that they liked, and then fly up the stairs when he would try to eat some grit.

I finally bought some females for them and things are looking much better. Although it took a while for them to give up pigeons.

Some of the roosters pick on the ducks, but some of the ducks also pick on the roosters.

Sarree

 

[Chickndaddy]

My original Golden-laced Wyandotte raped the ducks if they ever free-ranged together. I had all of my birds seperated by breeds and alternated letting them free-range, but the ducks always got to go out in the evening. And he would run them down and rape them. It was a horrible thing. So needless to say I got rid of him.

My White Chinese geese and the turkeys never got along either. Nor did my Silver-laced Wyandotte roo and the the turkeys. Which was absurd because Ferdinand was much larger than the roo. It took him several weeks to bow up to the roo.

And turkeys are really good at breaking up rooster fights.