Chickens & Baby Duck

[tamemeg]

Hi, I have 27 hens and 2 roos. My hubby found a baby mallard duckling in front of the coop yesterday. He gave it water and some food, we were hoping it would still be there today....it is. Now, my question. Can I put the duckling in with my chickens? Will the chickens peck at it, or just leave it alone? Thank you for in information.

 

[sourland]

The chickens will most likely regard it as an intruder and attack and kill it. Seperate living quarters are needed.

 

[tamemeg]

I thougt so...thank you very much. Part 2 of question. I also have 2 pygmy goats, and they have 2 "guests" living with them....2 rabbits. They are not wild rabbits, but they come and go as they please. We had them in a rabbit hutch but they both got out last fall and we couldn't catch them. Well, they ended up making homes with the goats. Now, there is a barn,(plenty of room) and a large fenced area, will the duckling be safe with the goats and bunnies? The goats pay no mind to the bunnies when they are there. Thanks again.

 

[jwalters]

Try building a temporary run on the outside of your chicken run and give them plenty of time to get adjusted to each other then slowly take the duckling in to see the girls for breif periods of time and watch him closely eventually they will get over the fact he his a duck. When my pekin lost her friend this is what I did and she was sleeping on the floor of the coop with a hen in no time

 

[CPW Chicks]

Chickens and ducks can live together. You can try introducing him to the flock by putting him in a dog crate and putting the crate inside the coop area. The duck and chickens will need time to get to know each other this way. It has been said that doing this will allow the chickens to show the duck their natural hierarchy and the duck will learn his place. You should keep him in the crate for a couple of weeks before you let him out with the chickens. That will give you time to see how they are getting along as well. Good Luck what ever you decide to do.

 

[claireree]

Im doing the same at the mo I have 5 chickens in total and now have 2 3 weeks old ducklings they are currently in a pen within the chicken pen, the first few hours the chickens were really nosey but now they leave them olone, going to leave them with this set up for a few weeks till the ducks are old enough to defend themselves then will let them out little bit at a time.

Good luck