Does anyone raise ducks with your chicks?

[LizGled628]

My husband and I love our seven week old chickie babies so much, we are in talks of getting another batch next spring! I'm a baker (fresh eggs=heaven), and I've heard that duck eggs are even more delicious than chicken eggs, so we are thinking of adding some ducklings to our order. I was just wondering if anyone has an recommendations or favorite breeds that really get along with their babies, and eventually will integrate into the chicken flock nicely.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Indiana hens]

Khaki Campbells. But ducks are known to be carriers of diseases that can be fatal to chickens and they poop in every drop of water they can find.

 

[nicholaschickens]

i have hatched 5 of my chick last year with two of my ducks but when they came out about 5 days after i vaccanated them so that they would get a heathly start and dont get any diseases i think if you do that then you should vaccinate them about 5 or 6 days after they hatch just to be extra sure but also make sure that the ducks don't poo in the water if they do then clean it out straight away and watch that they dont try and climb into the water because they will spil the water and dampness causes disease if you need anymore help message me andi would choose Saxony ducks or call ducks !

 

[LizGled628]

I remember the duck poop when I was little...it's like their personal mission in life! I am in the middle of constructing a nipple waterer system for our chickens (I imagine the ducks can't use them), but I bet the chickens would drink the duck water anyways? Hmm, I hadn't really considered that.

 

[woodmort]

I did it several times--goslings too--with no problem except the extra poop that is natural with ducks and geese. Finally gave up on the webfooted friends because of the extra water and poop they created--coop was always wet and the waterer empty.

BTW, ducks that are raised from hatchlings along with your chicks aren't anymore apt to carry disease than the chickens. However, if they are allowed access to water frequented by wild fowl they certainly can pick up unwanted diseases and parasites there. If this is the case it would be suggested they be penned and housed separately.

 

[LizGled628]

Thanks Woodmort....There is not a pond nearby, just the ocean. And the makeshift pond I'm thinking of putting in for the ducks would be just for them (we are thinking of building an additional run, just for the ducks, with the pond inside). So hopefully no wild bird diseases!

 

[nicholaschickens]

that would bea great ideabecause i have 5 ducks and 17 chickens but the chikens are pennd off from the ducks which is much better and then if the ducks have got a disease then it will not spread to the chickens which would be a great idea

 

[nicholaschickens]

i wonder if any of you's could help me ????

well i have just found out that it is a girl becuse i have two other japanese bantams a boy and a girl and the cockerel tyed to mate the other japanese bantam that i thought was a boy but also she i nearly 11 weeks old what age should i start to tranfere her over to layers pellets because it say that in my book that they are P.O.L at 16 to 20 weeks so should i start to transfere her over now or what because she is i think fully grown because she i the same size as the other one i have got and she is in lay so what do i do can someone help me please and when do you think i could put her in with the balck ones because she seen them today do you think that i shoe gradually let them see eachother and gradually put her on layers pellets aswell and after a week put her in with the others for good.

 

[Denninmi]

Quote:
Duck eggs are much nicer than chicken eggs, especially for baking. Thicker less watery whites, richer yolks. You won't go back after you try it.

 

[Coreyboy18]

Quote:
A couple of things, 1)you should post a separate thread for your question so more people can see it and help you, 2)you may also want to use some periods every now and then so it is easier to understand what you are asking. Once you post it separately, you should get quite a few posts to help you out.