chicken and pool questions

[groleau6]

I am hoping to get my chicken coop up and running within a few weeks. My son really REALLY wants a duck. He even has a name picked out. I have been doing a little research to see what breeds would work best for us, and that's all fine, but I can't seem to find much on if I can keep them in a chicken coop with my chickens. (Australorp, partidge, light brahma, and silkies) Do they roost like chickens do? Will they nest in my chicken nest boxes or do they need a certain type of their own? And finally how deep does their pool need to be? We were thinking a kiddy pool, but I am not sure that's deep enough since I heard that it's supposed to be deep enough for their feet not to touch--I just don't know how far of a reach that is. Also, does it need to be large enough for a real swim or to turn and glide?

Any help would be great, and happy hatching!

 

[Ryan521]

I'll try to answer your questions in order. Chickens and ducks can be raised and cooped together, just be sure that the ducks can get in and out easily. If you get any drakes they may try to mate the hens if there's not enough ducks. Duck don't roost like chickens unless you get muskovies. A kiddie pool works perfectly fine for most to all breeds, whatever size you feel works for your setup. When ducks do nest it'll be on the ground, most likely you'll find random eggs in odd places.

 

[Going Quackers]

MOST ducks do not roost, the exception being Muscovy(which is my main duck breed) and most either make a nest in the bedding and/or will use a nest box... i don't actually have "true" dedicated nest boxes for my ducks and they have not only managed to lay just fine but brooded quite a few nests.

A kiddy poll is absolutely fine or if you wanted to spend more you can buy troughs meant for larger livestock.. i run to two 50GAL troughs and 1 kiddy pool plus another 40GAL trough for my calls lol

One of the main things is the water mess, ducks adore water like chickens like to dig? which means mud, which chickens are not generally particularly found of, that is one of the main differences which makes them trickier roommates.

Plus worth a mention ducks must have water with food and do need access to water that is deep enough to clean nares a simple livestock rubber bowl can suffice. Chickens be mindful they don't drown, i have heard of stories of chickens getting into water levels that are unsafe.

Personally, my standards free range and therefore end up around my ducks.. they basically ignore one another.. my chickens usually don't stay long around the ducks area due to them splashing water. As well the other posters mention of a drake(male duck) mating a hen is a real take note, some have no issues.. i don't but my drakes have ducks of their own and were never actually "raised" with the chickens, they house separate and they have only crossed paths, so don't consider them part of the flock.

So in saying all that i'd stick to ducks ie; girls to keep things a bit less risky. Your chicken choices, we have the silkies they usually flop(dogpile), not much in the way of roosting either, other than a small one a couple inches off the ground. Ours are banties not sure if yours are standard or bantie that you are considering but always keep extreme sizing differences in mind.

Ducks(girls) can usually navigate things fairly well, my Muscovy girls are often checking out my chicken coop.. much to the massive dismay of my hens lol so that means they do climb a ramp to do so but still ducks generally are more agile in water not on land so be mindful of that for building, also ducks don't 'come home to roost' like chickens do, and often require some encouragement to go in at night.

In poor weather times mine often are in but summer? ha they are out chasing night crawlers while the chickens have long gone in.

Any ideas on breeds? i'd get at least two so they have someone whom is their own kind to communicate with. We have some great info in the stickies at the top of the board on brooding ducklings and many threads on breeds. Here, i have buff orpingtons, calls and Muscovy... so bantam, medium and large breed ducks.

 

[groleau6]

"Any ideas on breeds? i'd get at least two"

We were thinking of three Pekin pullets. I am hoping to house them together at night, but I can't do free range because of where I live, but the size of the enclosed area we are planning is 12 x 20, in addition to our 6 x 14 coop. I figured if we put a kiddie pool, I won't need to worry about chickens drowning because it won't be deep enough for that, but enough for the ducks to splash around in.

 

[Going Quackers]

"Any ideas on breeds? i'd get at least two"

We were thinking of three Pekin pullets. I am hoping to house them together at night, but I can't do free range because of where I live, but the size of the enclosed area we are planning is 12 x 20, in addition to our 6 x 14 coop. I figured if we put a kiddie pool, I won't need to worry about chickens drowning because it won't be deep enough for that, but enough for the ducks to splash around in.

ah, okay they are quite big. I would find the pekin thread to get more in depth info on them. I have never owned them, see them oodles of times at my feed mill each spring, very cute! As i said my standard chickens stay away from the water pools for the ducks but sadly i have heard of a drowning chicken so felt it was worth a mention anyways.