Ducks in my Chicken House

[Chicken Trimble]

I am new to raising ducks and chickens and am really enjoying it. I have a chicken house about 18' by 18' and have it divided in half with a door so I can increase my flock size in the future. My 9 Barred Rocks that live in the chicken house were hatched on 2/22/2010 and are doing great and I am really looking forward to those eggs!

Easter weekend I made and impulse purchase of four bantam chicken and two pekin ducklings at Tractor Supply "Chick Days", and they too having been growing wonderfully. Since the ducks outgrew their brooder they have been living under our porch and have access to a door in the lattace work to wander in our yard. Inexplicably our dog which has been friendly with the ducks held one down and pulled the feathers off of its back today. Ouch!

The injured duck is eating and drinking and appears to be healing but I was curious if I could let them stay in one side of my chicken house where the dog can not get them? My main concern is my chickens. In no way do I want to take a chance of them getting sick...

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I keep my ducks and chickens housed together at night in the coop. I have call duck mixes and mostly large fowl chickens.

for your duck

 

[gypsychicken]

Ducks/Chickens in the coop and water question.

All are 5 weeks old. Time to leave the living room.

Do the ducks need a water source during the nite, or can I let them go through the nite without water (preferred)

Will the chickens and ducks co-habitat well? They hang out together outside when we take them out, but the ducks are aggressive with the chicks.

I was thinking to put up chicken wire and divide the coop (which holds 9 chickens sufficiently) so the ducks are separated. Advice?

 

[gypsychicken]

My main thing was that the DUCKS ARE SO DIRTY!!!
I had to take them out of my 3' x 5' coop, it was just too much. I have put them in a dog kennel at nite. They don't like going in, and I may eventually just let them hang out in the fenced in area in some sort of make shift shelter. I don't think they need warmth the way that chickens do. Not sure. MOre research needed.

 

[katharinad]

Ducks need water all night as long as they are under 6 month of age. Just remember that you cannot give them food without water or they can choke to death. I give mine food and water at night, and that entices them each night to go into the duck house all by themselves. I do have a deep tray underneath the water, so I don't really have a mess besides their poo. It may be a good idea to divide the chicken house so you can have them together. Ducks need less heat then chicken, because they do have down feathers. They do like cool weather.