Chicks and Ducks

[Darklingstorm]

Do chicks and ducklings need to be kept separate or is ok to put them in the same brooder box?

 

[jarcoo0153]

I tried to put mine together, and the chicks chased the Ducklings, So I ended up having multiple brooders.

 

[dianaross77]

Ducklings make a terrible wet mess. Chickens like it dry. It's usually best to separate them.

 

[lolita117]

I've never had a problem keeping mine together - as far as disease goes they will do fine. In fact I have 2 ducklings and 6 baby chicks in the same brooder right now. It just takes more effort to keep it clean. But if you only have one brooder it will work fine.

 

[Darklingstorm]

I've had my little duckies and 4 new fuzzy butts home for 2 hours and I've already separated out the ducks. I was worried about them eating the shavings, so I put them on paper (TSC had them on shavings so figured it was ok).
I now have 4 silver-laced Wynadottes (hopefully all pullets). Making for a total of 10 chicks and 2 ducks. No one warned me about chicken math had a hidden button for duck math too.

 

[blondiebee181]

I have 4 chicks (1 RIR, 1 EE, 1 Leghorn and 1 Barred Rock) and a White Campbell duck. I got them all together at the feed store because let's face it, you will never make it out with just chicks if there are baby ducks too

. I will agree that ducks are messier, even though I just have one. They lap water out of the waterer and make a wet mess in the litter and they like to dig pits in the wet mess. They also have more, larger poos. As far as getting along with the chicks, no problem. The chicks LOVE their duck companion and vice versa. They squeal if they are seperated from her. My summary is that if you have 1 OR 2 ducks you will probably be okay with the same box but if you have more it will get messy and wet...eventually even with just one, you will start having to suspend the waterer so the duck doesn't tip it over. Ducks grow faster than chickens and can be very clumsy. A couple other tips....when they finally do go outside, keep the waterer suspended but also bury a large rock or a shallow terra cotta pot underneath the waterer otherise you will have mudholes the size of Texas underneath it as well as a muddy, disgusting duck because, again, they like to dig wet pits in the water. A lot of ppl say that you don't NEED a pool to have a duck but you will be sorry if you don't. The duck gets muddy and poopy from time to time and will need to take baths, and plus ducks are happier when they can swim. The other nice thing at least for me is that since the chickens like the duck so much, all I have to do when I want them to go in the coop or the run, is put the duck in first and then they all follow her

I look forward to July when they will hopefully start laying with much anticipation!