does anyone have chickens and ducks

[katief]

Hi I have had two chickens since day one who are now 7 weeks old i also have just got 3 ducks. I have put them in cages next toeach other hoping that i can intergrate at a later date. Has anyone any advice please

 

[happyhensny]

My chickens and ducks go along fine but the ducks really mess up the chicken coop. They love water and want everything wet. I do not have them together anymore. Too much mess.

 

[donrae]

I keep them together and do all right. As mentioned the ducks are horribly messy! They are also more aggressive than the chickens and are top of the food chain in the coop. If space is tight you might have problems with the ducks being too mean to the chickens. I've also heard of drakes trying to mount hens, I've not had it but I swear a teenage roo has nothing on a horny drake!

 

[katief]

thanks i have noticed the ducks are messy they are definately fixated with water

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Our mixed flock gets along fine together - but we have a large yard. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The ducks have a water tub, which is the center of their activity.

 

[katief]

yes they will have their own pool as they just love my bath not to mention trying to get into swim in their drinking container!!!!

 

[ThePigeonKid]

Our mixed flock gets along fine together - but we have a large yard. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The ducks have a water tub, which is the center of their activity.

X2

 

[Country Parson]

I agree with everyone else...

...mine get along great (most of the time).
...even when the ducks got a little snappy the chickens can get up on the roosts.
...the ducks are very, very messy.

 

[gryeyes]

I keep chickens, ducks and a pair of Toulouse geese all in the same coop, which is 17 X 22 feet. (Was a carport once upon a time, but I had the fourth side built and the interior fixed up with nest boxes, roosts, feeders, an auto-waterer, and a separate Chick Kindergarten pen.) The auto-waterer is in one corner of the coop where everybody can drink, but it has a pointy lid and "portholes" so the chickens cannot perch on it and the ducks cannot swim in it. The spillage from duck bills stays in that corner and on hot days, the chickens love it for a "cool spot."

I do keep a separate waterer in the opposite corner of the coop, up on a step, so chickens not brave enough to shoulder their way past the ducks to drink (if any are in their way) can still get water inside the coop.

The ducks sleep on the floor in the deep pine shavings and the geese sleep in a plastic dog house inside the coop.

Outside, the ducks hang together. The pair of geese are comfortable on their own, or with the ducks, or with the chickens. They hang with anybody. The chickens will drink out of the waterfowl kiddie pools and the stock tank, but know to get out of the way when a duck or goose wants to get INTO the water.

I feed "All Flock" by Nutrena, and provide crushed oyster shell - or smashed up egg shells - in a separate dish.