hello from new member! xxx

[Sophie Smith]

Hi to all you duck enthusiasts!!!

I am new to this forum and just looking for a little advice from you experts. I have already a group of hens in my back garden and am wanting to release my dream of getting 2 ducks. However, whilst keeping hens has been relatively straight forward so far, I understand that ducks needs are different and want to do this only if it can be done properly. So here are a few questions for you!

1) can ducks and hens be kept in a run together?
2) do ducks need their own coops?
3) how often do smallish plastic ponds need changing? what about pumped ponds?
4) any information on health, feed, run maintenance, breeds all welcome!

Sophie xxxx

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

1) Yes Ducks and chickens can be kept together, but make sure they are all eating corn. Some specific feeds are medicated, and 'all-purpose' feeds are usually not good at all...
2) I prefer to give ducks their own coop
3) Kiddie-pools that I have for swimming/mating need changing either daily or every-other day.
4) I'll put this in a more detailed post...

 

[b.hromada]

Hi Sophie!

from S. Florida! Its great to have you here with us!

To answer some of your questions: I've got a duck, and she lives well with my chickens, and my silly goose! She doesn't seem to like going into the coop, but stays outside, either in her kiddie pool or around it. As for cleaning the kiddie pool, I always clean mine once a day, as they do make it REALLY dirty! You'll really enjoy ducks too, by the way!

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
1) yes they can

2) no, they can be wigh your hens. But they will make a mess with any water thats in the coop.
3) I change my ducks kiddie pool water daily.
4)for feed, they can eat chicken scratch with the hens. They also like cut up veggies as a treat. Peas are their favorite!

If you dont want a huge watery mess in the coop at night I wouldnt put a waterer they can get into in the coop. You would have to change the straw wleveryday

What do you want in a breed? Eggs? pets? What genders? Male and female? Two females?

Aslo

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
Medicated feed is now ok for ducks here in america

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

4) - Health - You need to keep the duck's living quarters clean, and you should let them free range to have the healthiest smartest ducks. If you can't, they'll do fine in a large run.

There are basically no bad breeds, but there are a few...
-Crested ducks (about 25-50% of the babies die a few weeks old because of genetic problems related to the crest.
-Pekins (they grow lke CX chickens, and are pretty run-of-the-mill)

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
Those still isnt anything wrong with those breeds.

I had a crested and he was a sweety

 

[Sophie Smith]

Hey all! thanks for the super kind welcomes and hello from the middle of England, you guys have a great array of animals (and kids!) from the look of your banners so I am sure all your advice is full of expertise!


I understood that ducks were very messy... must be a pain to clean the tray each day though this must be necessary to protect their health! Do they poop in the pond? do you have to take extra precautions in the heat with flies etc?

Thanks for info regarding their feed! Just a query, thought with hens that they shouldn't have much corn, is this not the case with ducks?

xxx

 

[Sophie Smith]

oops forgot to say, I would prefer females. Fundementally for pets (for me) but eggs are welcome too (for OH!)

X

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
ducks actually shouldnt be getting alot of corn. Its not THAT good for them and can make both ducks AND chickens molt more offten. Yes they will poop in the pond. But thats ok.