Getting some ducks

[first time farmer]

Hi, I am going to order 2 or 3 ducks. Can some one give me some info on what kind i should get. I want them for pets and to just have around the farm. Also can i keep them with chickens or should i build them their own coop.

Thanks

 

[CallDuckLover]

I have a pair of Call Ducks.
I think they are the cutest.
They are the smallest breed of duck, and also come in many colors.

I am in 4-H too.

 

[CallDuckLover]

Ya you can keep them with chickens. I knew someone who did. Just make sure that the ducks have plenty of water to swim in. I keep my two call ducks in their own call duck pen. You can look up on the internet about how to make them.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I bought my ducks when I got my chicks from ideal. I kept them in the brooder together and now keep them in the coop together as well. Since they were raised together they know no difference! Mine are Khaki Campbells and I purposely got that breed for their eggs.

 

[first time farmer]

I have an old dog house that i am going to use as their coop i think. I just need to figure out their run/pond area.

Pics?

 

[Amiga]

My Pekins and mallard inherited a dog house and run. This was in suburban Georgia, with few predators, and they did fine. We gave them a kiddie pool - about a foot deep, five feet across - and they thrived.

Up here in New England, I am in suburbia, but near hundreds of acres of forest, and we have all kinds of predators. That is why, I think, my first thought for you was that if you have any predators around, you make sure to discourage them as best you can. There is a category here in BYC for that (you may already know about that!).

I have not heard of any variety of duck being unfriendly with chickens. With just a few ducks, they may even be happier to be part of a larger mixed flock. They do have different systems, so when it comes to feed for the little ones, I have been warned many times NOT to feed ducklings medicated chick starter. I have seen one or two people poo poo that. To be safe, I am sticking with unmedicated starter - better safe than sorry.

Enjoy those quackers!

 

[faykokoWV]

We have one duck right now, a Muscovy drake that we were given. He's fine with the chickens most of the time, but he does have a few that he molests on a regular basis. they don't seem to mind and he usually goes at it from the side..... its kind of funny to watch. I figure when my roo's get a little bigger they'll put an end to that, but I may have to move him out of the pen if he gets any more randy.