chickens and ducks together?

[Cheep Mama]

We are getting our baby chicks in a few weeks and were wondering if it would be o.k. to put a baby duck in with them? Can the baby duck eat the chicks food?

 

[1acrefarm]

Do not feed ducks medicated chick starter. They eat more and can overdose. The ducks need waterfowl starter if its available in your area for the niacin. If its not available nonmedicated chick starter along with a niacin supplement is the way to go.

 

[MissPrissy]

Some people do put them together.

It has been my experience that in the long run you are better off keeping them separate. The ducks are waterfowl. They are messy messy messy.

Some people do feed the same starter feeds but ducks are game birds and benefit from the higher protein offered in a game bird feed - which the chickens do not need.

It is your call but if it were me from my experience, no. Keep them in separate pens.

I also will not have ducks again unless my husband builds me a pond for them to live near.

 

[newnanchic]

Our baby ducks are eating chic starter. That is what we were told to feed them. They are not with our chickens yet. They are only 3 weeks old and our chickens are much bigger. Also we have 18 new baby chics (just got them today) so they are to liitle to be with the ducks. Eventualy we will have them all together.

 

[chickfillhay]

I purchased some chicks 2 wks ago, days later a neighbor gave me a bunch more. All in the same brooder. Purchased two small ducks at TSC. All are doing fine in the same brooder. But boy do those ducks grow fast. Chicks are getting their feathers in. Will be three weeks soon. Though all have grown. The ducks outgrew the chickens already. When I got them they were about the same size as my smallest chicks. Now they are double their size. All they get is what the chicks get. Chick starter. And plenty of it. As well as a dip in my pyrex from time to time. They love it. All are thriving!