Ducks with Chickens?????

[chickkais67]

I started with 6 chickens this spring and was considering on adding a duck or two to my flock, but don't know if it is wise to do so. I live in SW Michigan so winters can get cold. Will ducks do well without a heat source? Will a duck go into a chicken coop with the chickens and live peacefully with them? Can I feed a duck the same chicken feed and scratch grains? Is there anything else I am not considering?

 

[Kevin565]

1. Ducks can do fine without a heat source

2. Ducks can be trained to go into a coop

3. Yes ducks can have chicken feed

4. Ducks are extremely messy. Whatever mess your imagining multiply it by 2. Also if a Drake breeds your hens he can seriously hurt her or kill her.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

They will do fine without a heat source and should go in the coop if they get used to it. You can feed them the same stuff as the chickens, and yes they are VERY messy.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

Here's another voice adding how messy ducks are compared to chickens. My ducks have a separate house, though they share the same run with my chickens and turkeys.

I started with chickens and then added ducks. I had read up on BYC just how messy ducks are, but nothing prepared me for reality! Chickens are easy to take care of; ducks are a labor of love.

 

[Going Quackers]

As said, people do.. i don't... i started with ducks and then got chickens, HA! chickens are easy.. ducks are way more work, way more mess.I use a flock raiser here so the birds all share their feed but housed separately.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

I started with two ducklings and 2-3 weeks later got two adult chickens. So your not the only one! Someone I know had chickens ducks. That's why I got ducks in the first place. Then when she was moving away, I got two of her chickens.

 

[chickkais67]

When you say "mess" what are some examples?

 

[jdywntr]

Ducks are messy with water and have more watery poop than chickens.

I have my chickens and muscovy together. The geese are in the same coop but in the front section. Muscovy like to roost so there isn't the chance of them sleeping under roosting chickens and getting pooped on.

I don't keep feed and water inside the coop but they are all 5-6 months old. This cuts down on mess a TON. I would not do this if they were younger but they are let out at about 6 am and go in to roost at dusk.

I don't have a problem with it. Everyone is finally deciding where they are going to roost at night and I make sure I pay more attention to the area under the duck's roost when cleaning.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

When you say "mess" what are some examples?

They have explosive poop almost continuously, it seems. When I let my ducks out of their house in the morning, it looks like they had a paint ball war, but with poop! They play in and over turn their water. If you have water in the coop with the ducks, they will make everything a soggy mess. Add that to the copious poop and it is a horror show.

My chicken coop stays clean and dry with very little effort from me. The duck house is constant work.

 

[Going Quackers]

When you say "mess" what are some examples?

Water everywhere, they drink it, swim in it, play in it.. spill it... dirty it! They also have bigger(wetter!) droppings than a chicken, they love to dig with their bills, basically they drill holes lol It's hard to explain the reasons to someone who hasn't had them but once as you do, you'll get it