Alrighty, well I wanted to get some polish/frizzle cross to go in with my 6 week old silkies. Then everyone informed me not such a good idea because someone will be getting picked on right? So, I was thinking ducks now (runner ducks), how do they do with chickens, and how noisy/dirty are they?
Ducks are very messy and I wouldn't advise trying to keep them in the same coop as your chickens, although I know a lot of people do. I think mine are much happier having their own space with all the water they want. I have call ducks and I think my chickens would probably harass them a lot. Runner ducks can be pretty skittish.
Yes I agree with Katy, my ducks used to harass my chickens and even stopped them laying from stress. When i fenced off a 1/4 of the run/yard for the ducks everyone settled down again, both were much happier. Ducks will mud up the chicken water and its a neverending job to refill the water containers!!
Oh good to know lol!! Thanks, they are just so cute, but thats ok. I will just stick to my chickens. So now why is it so hard to have like polish and silkies togther. Everyone just kind of said no they will pick at eachother. I just thought if they were both bantams and introduced slowly things would go well. Is it just a dominance thing or what?
I had 2 ducks with my 50+ chickens. The ducks made more mess than ALL of the chickens. I was constantly cleaning their pool or refilling the waterers or buckets because the ducks would billow out the water. They were found a new home a few weeks ago and my life has gotten much easier. By the way, the main reason I found them a new home was because it was 2 male ducks and they were extremely frustrated (if you know what I mean). My friend had 2 Peking Females that needed a date. So everyone was happy come the end of the day...
I have my polish with my silkies because of the shyness of each, the polish I trimmed thier poofs and they are better. The reason I moved them is the other were mean to these and now all are fine together. You have to keep the shyier 1's away from the more agressive. My ducks dont really get along witht he chickens at all and I keep the messy little stinkers in a pen all by themselves. I have 10 ducks and way more chickens so the ducks like thier own house.
I have waterfowl and chickens both. I agree that ducks are messier than the chickens are; but they're not entirely incompatible. I let my ducks free range the whole farm, though. It would seem cruel to do anything else, since they are constantly foraging and finding their own food. Ducks are much more independent; but can easily be trained to "go to bed" in their house at night. Ours have usually put themselves away already by the time we get out there to close the door shut to their house.
I have chickens that grew up with baby ducks and some that did not. The ones that did not will attack any duck inthe chicken run. The ones that grew up with them are in a what wrong that that silly hen club. Biggest comotion in my coop was a scovy duckling that went in for a water play.