Ducks with chickens

[dreamcaughtcoop]

Right now I own two old English game, silver duckwing bantams next summer im looking to brood a small batch of Call ducklings. Once they are old enough im going to move them into the coop and run with my chickens. Is this a good Idea? Do I feed them the same food that I feed my chickens? Thanks for your help

 

[Miss Lydia]

Right now I own two old English game, silver duckwing bantams next summer im looking to brood a small batch of Call ducklings. Once they are old enough im going to move them into the coop and run with my chickens. Is this a good Idea? Do I feed them the same food that I feed my chickens? Thanks for your help

Welcome to BYC

I will give my opinion and that is I would not house or keep chickens and ducks in the same coop and run. Ducks are messy love water and will make a mess of your chickens run and coop too if you keep food and water inside the coop. It would be much better if each had their own space. They can eat the same feed but chicken feed doesn't have the amount of niacin Ducklings need when hatched till around 10-12 weeks of age so you'll need to give some Brewers or nutritional yeast along with the feed for the ducklings. or they can develop lameness and neurological issues.

Also Chickens can be pretty rough on ducklings/ducks if they aren't introduced slowly over time.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: X2!

-Kathy

 

[dreamcaughtcoop]

Thank you for the helpful information ! c: I was planning on introducing them slowly because that's how I would introduce any new bird into the flock. The problem is if I could house the ducks separately from the chickens I would but I live where's there is not much land to house them in and my chickens run is quite large currently we have a rather small coop though but this winter my father and I are going to rebild a new coop. I also only feed my chickens out of their coop. Any the funny thing with my hens is they only stay at one side of their run where the coop is at and I was planning to put the baby pool for the ducks at the other end. And my hens are bantams so soon after the ducks move from the brooding pen to the coop they will be as large or even slightly bigger then my hens. And yes I would feed the ducks any extra feed they would need, but would it be okay for my hens to pick at the feed because if it was in the run they are most likely to eat it as well.

Welcome to BYC

I will give my opinion and that is I would not house or keep chickens and ducks in the same coop and run. Ducks are messy love water and will make a mess of your chickens run and coop too if you keep food and water inside the coop. It would be much better if each had their own space. They can eat the same feed but chicken feed doesn't have the amount of niacin Ducklings need when hatched till around 10-12 weeks of age so you'll need to give some Brewers or nutritional yeast along with the feed for the ducklings. or they can develop lameness and neurological issues.

Also Chickens can be pretty rough on ducklings/ducks if they aren't introduced slowly over time.

 

[ricebabyca]

What sort of pool can you give the ducks that will be shallow enough that your chickens can't drown in it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

What sort of pool can you give the ducks that will be shallow enough that your chickens can't drown in it?

I've never had an adult chicken drown or even get into a pool I have set up for my water fowl and I have 3 pools going, When I have tiny chicks I do worry and keep a large rock inside the pool in case one was to fall inside they could get out, I had a chick drown in a 2 gal water bucket I had set out for my water fowl though.

Ducks and chickens can basically eat the same things, but again housing them maybe a problem unless you make the coop large so the ducks don't have to sleep under roosts and get pooped on. keeping water and feed outside will help keep your coop cleaner but ducks poop alot so keeping the coop clean will go along away in keeping everyone happy, I use deep shaving and just scoop out poop daily fluff and it's dry by roosting time.

Then if you hatch or buy ducklings straight run you also run the risk of having drakes and drakes when hormones come around will try and mate chickens too, which is a death sentence for hens since ducks and chickens mate entirely different. So lots to think about before next spring comes around.

Any questions you have though we will try to answer for you, not trying to discourage you from getting ducks but doing the research first as your doing can sure help you and others make better decisions on if ducks are right for them.
Look forward to hearing from you.

 

[dreamcaughtcoop]

I've never had an adult chicken drown or even get into a pool I have set up for my water fowl and I have 3 pools going, When I have tiny chicks I do worry and keep a large rock inside the pool in case one was to fall inside they could get out, I had a chick drown in a 2 gal water bucket I had set out for my water fowl though.

Ducks and chickens can basically eat the same things, but again housing them maybe a problem unless you make the coop large so the ducks don't have to sleep under roosts and get pooped on. keeping water and feed outside will help keep your coop cleaner but ducks poop alot so keeping the coop clean will go along away in keeping everyone happy, I use deep shaving and just scoop out poop daily fluff and it's dry by roosting time.

Then if you hatch or buy ducklings straight run you also run the risk of having drakes and drakes when hormones come around will try and mate chickens too, which is a death sentence for hens since ducks and chickens mate entirely different. So lots to think about before next spring comes around.

Any questions you have though we will try to answer for you, not trying to discourage you from getting ducks but doing the research first as your doing can sure help you and others make better decisions on if ducks are right for them.
Look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you

! Im glad to know all of this, looking up stuff on the internet isn't always the most helpful

. And when I buy my ducks im planning on only keeping the females and if some of them turn out to be males I have some friends who would take them, so I wont have to worry about the hormones

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you

! Im glad to know all of this, looking up stuff on the internet isn't always the most helpful

. And when I buy my ducks im planning on only keeping the females and if some of them turn out to be males I have some friends who would take them, so I wont have to worry about the hormones

That's good to know. I love my drakes but having the right set up can mean the difference in heart break and enjoying having them. I have found info on the internet that cost me my roosters life when I went to treat him for gape worms so we cannot relay on help there at times. here on BYC most info is from some one who has already experienced a problem or general care info. I much prefer getting help for someone who has experienced things in their flock first hand. Whether health or flock dynamics.

Keep learning!!

 

[dreamcaughtcoop]

That's good to know. I love my drakes but having the right set up can mean the difference in heart break and enjoying having them. I have found info on the internet that cost me my roosters life when I went to treat him for gape worms so we cannot relay on help there at times. here on BYC most info is from some one who has already experienced a problem or general care info. I much prefer getting help for someone who has experienced things in their flock first hand. Whether health or flock dynamics.

Keep learning!!

Thank you so much I love having people to rely on when It comes to saving my birds from any diseases, the only thing that might be holding me back from getting ducks next year now is the avian influenza. Which sadly is supposed to reach my state and the states around us this fall. I don't know if you have it near you or have ever experienced anything like this horrible disease but do you have any tips on it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you so much I love having people to rely on when It comes to saving my birds from any diseases, the only thing that might be holding me back from getting ducks next year now is the avian influenza. Which sadly is supposed to reach my state and the states around us this fall. I don't know if you have it near you or have ever experienced anything like this horrible disease but do you have any tips on it?

So far nothing in NC. but bio security is a priority even with out the AI scare. Don't go anywhere especially where there is livestock poultry and go around your flock before you have removed all clothing and shoes bathed and washed your hair, disinfect even your tires on your car if you have. I carried a bottle of Oxine and water when I cared of a persons flock a couple summers ago and sprayed my shoes and tires before I left their property. If anyone has poultry they have to disinfect their shoes before coming on your property and no one with poultry is allowed inside where your poultry is kept. It all sounds harsh but this should even be in place if AI wasn't a threat. I sure hope this can be contained but it doesn't look like they are getting a handle on it very well. I do feed the wild birds if I didn't they would be in my flocks feeders so I keep out feeders for them and up off the ground where my flock cannot eat out of them. Mostly we have local birds not in a fly way thankfully.