Ducks & Chics Together

[nay23]

I have just entered the poultry adventure and have a slight problem. I have 10 chicks and 2 ducks. I was told that the chics and ducks require different food until they start laying. The information I got was that the ducks should be on "showbird" food and the chics need to be on "starter". I was told that if the ducks ate the chic starter it would kill them. The problem is that I have 1 chicken coop. I have the chicks in the coop loose and the ducks in a big empty water tank inside the chicken coop. I feel bad because they're getting bigger and they seem cramped. I would like to let them all have the run of the big coop together. Any suggestions? Is there any food that I could use that would work for both? Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions.

 

[MamaB]

I am pretty new to having chickens and ducks myself, but here is what I have learned so far. I introduced my 2 day old ducklings to my flock of chicks when they were a week old. They now think they are chickens! The ducks can eat 'starter' as long as it is not medicated. Since ducklings eat so much more than chicks do the medication in the food can build up and kill them. I have been feeding organic chick starter and grower and everyone is just fine! 9 weeks and doing great!

 

[nay23]

Ok. So as long as I don't use medicated feed, they should all be fine together. Thank you very much for your help!

 

[MamaB]

Have fun with them! I have loved and hated having them together.......ducks are soooooo much messier than chicks. They get water everywhere and their poop is...well, wetter and yucky! So there is more cleaning involved. I just put a rubber floor in the coop to keep the duck wetness and poop from rotting the floor. Makes cleaning much easier. But they are so funny together! Good luck!