hi i am new on here and i have a dilema... ...through my school i am getting and hatching a chicken egg there as part of science my brother and my friend are aswell so my question is i have cats around where i live and also a relativly small backyard how much space would i need to keep 3 chickens and i dont know what breed the birds are but i think they are standard breeds. im also thinking of putting the run in the small square courtyard i have out the front but people could steel them ?? WHAT DO I DO i want to keep them i dont want to give them away p.s i will be getting the egg in posably a week
chickens and ducks can live together, I would get two ducks cuz like chickens they are flock birds. They would need a place to stay out of the weather, safe from predators and people. Chickens need laying pellets as adults, ducks need gamebird feed. Stay on this website and you'll learn everything you need to know.
Yes, chickens and ducks can be kept in the same coop, but I wouldn't do it. Anytime a duck sees water, it tries to swim in it, and they are very messy drinkers. So if your waterer is inside the coop, the ducks will make a complete, wet, stinky mess. 2 ducks is better than one. Ducks can be fed the same feed as chickens, you don't necessarily need gamebird feed. Do not feed ducklings medicated chick starter, only feed unmedicated. Try doing a search here on BYC, you'll find tons of info on how to raise chicks and ducklings.
We have one lone silky duck living with our chickens. He pretty much hangs out with the silkie chickens.... sits with them while they lay, even. We have 3 ducklings that will be joining the group this spring so it will be interesting to see how Chandler reacts to them.
The chickens and ducks can live together when they are grown, but be sure that when they are in the brooder you are NOT feeding medicated chick feed to the duckling. It would kill him. Ducks enjoy other ducks, so it would be best if the duckling had a mate. Be sure they have a safe coop and run. If you have close neighbors, be sure they are okay with this. I don't know your neighborhood, but I wouldn't keep them out in the open where just anybody could get their hands on them. I actually had a Silkie hen hatch a duck egg. Now that was a funny sight. A little duckling following around a black Silkie.
