Ducks with chickens?

[TimCline]

I want to integrate my two pekin Ducks into the same coop and run as my chickens. They have a very large run and I'm going to put a kiddie pool im for them. How and at what age would I go about doing so? They can already see each other through the wire. Just worried about one of my older chickens bothering them. Anyone do this successfully?

 

[Amiga]

I know some do this successfully, I hope they can check in soon. Are both Pekins female? Having drakes in with chickens is dangerous for the chickens if the drakes try to mate with them.

 

[TimCline]

It's a pair. How dangerous? Will the drake try to fight my roo? Because my flock rooster is a very large RIR.

 

[Amiga]

Questions of getting along are, to my experience with introducing ducks, largely up to the individual critters.

I can see potential for your roo and drake having a conflict. Not a guarantee, but I would introduce carefully and make no assumptions that they will sort it out without aggressiveness. Springtime hormones can make it more challenging as well.

There are always exceptions . . . truly, it does seem to be up to the individual animals as to whether they will respect each others' space and females.

 

[TimCline]

Thanks. I'll try and introduce them while supervised a couple times and see how it goes.

 

[TLWR]

The drake could try to make your chicken hens and that is dangerous to them as boy ducks and boy chickens aren't packing the same equipment. A male duck when mating a chicken hen (if he trys to mate a chicken hen) could seriously injure/kill her just based on the incompatibility of the anatomy.

 

[TimCline]

I understand now. Will just keep then separate completely.