Ducks and chickens

[DukesDucks]

Between my daughter and I, we have ducks, chickens and peacocks. I have 8 Muscovy ducks, 3 drakes 5 hens. Her young Silkie chickens, 2 roosters, 2 hens, are getting picked on by the bigger older chickens. Am I crazy to think of bring them over to join my ducks? Can they free range and be in the coop together at night? How to introduce them?

 

[tdan]

I have pekins and larger chickens together, with young chicks and no issues. My rooster protects any issues. An older drake pecks chicks or ducklings that come around him but gives no chase.

My friends flock has very young silkies and pekins as well. No issues there either, but I hear muscovy are a touch more aggressive. I vote give it a shot and see. Jut use in sight barriers and make sure the silkies are old enough they don't go drown. We have lost a couple chicks to being too duck like and modified access and free range age to account for it.

Between my daughter and I, we have ducks, chickens and peacocks. I have 8 Muscovy ducks, 3 drakes 5 hens. Her young Silkie chickens, 2 roosters, 2 hens, are getting picked on by the bigger older chickens. Am I crazy to think of bring them over to join my ducks? Can they free range and be in the coop together at night? How to introduce them?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wouldn’t put docile Silkies in with Muscovy. Free range may work I have Muscovy with Bantams and LFChickens but I’d be worried about the Silkies but saying all this is there anyway to split your house so the Silkies have their own space? My chickens all roost but I have heard Silkies don’t that would be my worry.

 

[Clairemarie1982]

I wouldn’t put docile Silkies in with Muscovy. Free range may work I have Muscovy with Bantams and LFChickens but I’d be worried about the Silkies but saying all this is there anyway to split your house so the Silkies have their own space? My chickens all roost but I have heard Silkies don’t that would be my worry.

In my flock I have 4 silkies. 3 roost and one does not. She used to sleep on the floor by herself, but when it started to get cold she decided to sleep in a nesting box every night!

 

[chickens really]

I definitely wouldn't put Silkie with Ducks or standard sized chickens..

 

[Clairemarie1982]

I definitely wouldn't put Silkie with Ducks or standard sized chickens..

Silkies can definitely be with standard chickens! We have a mixed flock of 4 standards and 5 bantams (4 of them being silkies). I don’t know if I lucked out and my chickens are sweet breeds but they all get along great! My standards are lavender orpington, buff brahma, cream legbar and favaucana. Our other bantam is an easter egger. She is so so tiny I had to get her on the scale to see her weight out of curiosity- full grown at 1lb 11oz!

 

[chickens really]

Silkies can definitely be with standard chickens! We have a mixed flock of 4 standards and 5 bantams (4 of them being silkies). I don’t know if it’s that I lucked out and my chickens are super sweet breeds but they all get along great! My standards are lavender orpington, buff brahma, cream legbar and favaucana. I have never seen any of my chickens peck or fight with one another or pick on the little ones at all. Our other bantam is an easter egger. She is so so tiny I had to get her on the scale to see her weight out of curiosity. Full grown at 1lb 11oz!

Well that's all good for you....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Silkies can definitely be with standard chickens! We have a mixed flock of 4 standards and 5 bantams (4 of them being silkies). I don’t know if it’s that I lucked out and my chickens are super sweet breeds but they all get along great! My standards are lavender orpington, buff brahma, cream legbar and favaucana. I have never seen any of my chickens peck or fight with one another or pick on the little ones at all. Our other bantam is an easter egger. She is so so tiny I had to get her on the scale to see her weight out of curiosity. Full grown at 1lb 11oz!

I was concerned about the Silkies being in with the Muscovy my Muscovy are moody right now and will latch on to one of my Runners or one of the full size hens and won’t let go. They haven’t hurt them but they enjoy grabbing them.

 

[Clairemarie1982]

I was concerned about the Silkies being in with the Muscovy my Muscovy are moody right now and will latch on to one of my Runners or one of the full size hens and won’t let go. They haven’t hurt them but they enjoy grabbing them.

Aww, oh wow yeah that sounds like it definitely could be too much for silkies!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep I’d be worried