chicken and ducks

[Chickenrunlady]

Can you house chicken and ducks together?

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Welcome!! This is a great forum for anything chickens, as well as practically everything else!

Yes, it is totally possible to have a mixed coop, and my biggest coop is a mixed coop with chickens, ducks, and geese all living together. However, it isn't possible everywhere. When housing them together it is important to have plenty of space, both inside and outside. I wouldn't keep them together in a coop 24/7. Most store bought chickens would never work for ducks. I use a good-sized 12x12 shed i built. On one end it has roosts for the chickens, and the along the wall is nest boxes, food, and water. This is just for sleeping though. Outside i have 3 large pastures that i rotate them around, so there is always fresh grass for them.

One thing to make sure of when mixing them, is to make sure you have a place for the ducks that is NOT underneath the roosts. If their only place to sleep is where the chickens poop, that will seriously mess with your ducks health. Also make sure you have enough chickens and ducks. They won't be friends, they will just be civil to each other. I would suggest at least 3 or 4 of each type, because they need friends. don't do one duck with lots of chickens or vice-versa. That would be a recipe for disaster.

Hope this helps a bit! Let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck!!

Also, love your pic. Is that your horse? Very pretty horse!

 

[Chickenrunlady]

ThNK YOU for the great advice. I have experience with ducks, not chickens. I manage a private horse farm fo someone and we have 50 acres I thouht adding a few chickens and ducks would be nice. I hear mixed messages some say it will attract flies while I hear others say they keep them down since they eat them. I'm confused. And thank you, yes that's my awesome horse Tristan He's gonna love the additions I was planning on making a coup n wheels as I can bring it in the barn in the winter. The wind is insane here so would rather not leave the coop outside. I'm in a huge open field with no wind break. So planning on a movable coop with a moval run. As I have predators around and will need to keep them safe when i am not home, 3 days a week. I will let them out when I am at the farm all day.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

ThNK YOU for the great advice. I have experience with ducks, not chickens. I manage a private horse farm fo someone and we have 50 acres I thouht adding a few chickens and ducks would be nice. I hear mixed messages some say it will attract flies while I hear others say they keep them down since they eat them. I'm confused. And thank you, yes that's my awesome horse Tristan He's gonna love the additions I was planning on making a coup n wheels as I can bring it in the barn in the winter. The wind is insane here so would rather not leave the coop outside. I'm in a huge open field with no wind break. So planning on a movable coop with a moval run. As I have predators around and will need to keep them safe when i am not home, 3 days a week. I will let them out when I am at the farm all day.

No problem! Glad i could help. Oh, i see. Actually i started with ducks too. I added chickens a few years later. Wow! That is awesome! I love horses, and worked and rode at a boarding stable for awhile. I have always wanted a horse (and to live on 50 acres lol) but is hasn't been possible yet due to not enough space and city laws. He is a beautiful horse!

On the flies, to some extent, they will attact them, since poultry poop, and flies like poop. But, they will also eat the larvae and eggs especially which should help to keep the population under control. They try to eat adult flies, and it is hilarious to watch a chicken chasing a fly all about, but they arn't usually able to catch them. At least when i am there.

Sounds like you got a pretty nice plan. Do make sure to plan ahead for predators, and make housing stronger than you think it needs to be. I didn't do that with my first flock, and i lost all 12 in a single night. Chicken wire usually dosent cut it strength wise. I use a welded wire fencing which comes in big rolls, and use that. Or i use hardware wire around windows and stuff.