Ducks and chickens together

[BabyTot]

I'm planning on getting a couple ducks this spring to live with my chickens, after expanding my coop. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or anything I should know before I get the ducks, thanks

 

[CoriM]

I'm sure others who keep both will have lots of comments for you, but here are my thoughts: last spring I had originally wanted to get both at the same time. I ended up just getting 6 ducks because I went to a talk about chicks and got scared off of the effort it might take to do both. I think the biggest difference is a huge one - wet and dry. Chickens like things dry and they scratch around in the dust and dirt and straw (my experience is only from caring for a friend's chickens) and ducks like things wet, and make everything wet and muddy. They will not be very happy ducks if they don't get their fresh water for swimming on a regular basis, like every day if possible - it's just what they're made for. And when they eat and drink - water will go everywhere and make a mucky muddy mess. I find that they are much more work than chickens - well at least with my set-up. Trying to keep things a little bit dry and clean takes a lot of time for me every day. They're lots of fun and cute, but I would hesitate about putting ducks and chickens together. Plus the mating issue could be trouble.

 

[Jpat]

I'm planning on getting a couple ducks this spring to live with my chickens, after expanding my coop. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or anything I should know before I get the ducks, thanks

it will work if you only get females, and all they realy need for water is a kiddie pool

And ducks sleep on the floor, so putting a little barrier under your perches is a good idea. My ducks would sleep under the perches sometimes and get covered in poop

Muscovy ducks do perch though

 

[johny]

I get day old ducklings and chicks on the same day.
They grow up together and generally leave each other alone.

But....
I once tried introducing 2 1/2 week old Pekins to five 2 year old ISA Brown hens. In a large grass and shrub free-run 25x100 feet.
Within seconds those hens were brutally attacking the young Pekins. It was terrible. If I had not intervene, those old hens would have killed my ducks.

So start as day olds together---no problem.
But introductions later in life go badly

 

[Jpat]

I get day old ducklings and chicks on the same day.
They grow up together and generally leave each other alone.

But....
I once tried introducing 2 1/2 week old Pekins to five 2 year old ISA Brown hens. In a large grass and shrub free run 25x100 feet.
Within seconds those hens were brutally attacking the young Pekins. It was terrible. If I had not intervene, those old hens would have killed my ducks.

So start as day olds together---no problem.
But introductions later in life go badly

hens can be savage

I had two Barred rock hens beat a huge cochin rooster i tried introducing to them. He was bleeding but okay, had to give him back to where i got him and they didnt beleive me

 

[johntfs]

I'm planning on getting a couple ducks this spring to live with my chickens, after expanding my coop. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or anything I should know before I get the ducks, thanks

I've been given to understand that if chickens see blood or wounds on ducks, they'll peck at them. If one of your ducks is with the chickens and gets a slightly bloody injury, the chickens will likely peck the duck to death.

 

[Pinckney]

I have 24 chickens, around 20 ducks and 3 geese, male and female. They mingle without issue during the winter but they have access to a barn and a good sized yard. If your run is small and dirt could get messy. I’ll move the ducks to pasture once the grass is growing again, well maybe the garden first. The ducks tend to have flock buddies that they hang out with and ignore the chickens. They eat in separate areas, and different food.