HELP!!!! Duck and Chicken in a Dorm

[shinygirl]

So, hopefully my title caught someone's attention... My roommates boyfriend and his roommates on our university campus thought it would be fun to buy a duckling and chick, and keep them in a cardboard box in their dorm. Now, they are saying that when they get older, they are going to give them away. I told them that I would take them, because I am worried they have already "buddied up," and I do not want them to separate. Can a duckling and chick buddy up like hens? I currently have four hens, about 3 years old, and am pretty experienced raising chicks. Ducks, on the other hand, are a new subject. I know you can't just let them go at a pond, but I do have a couple in my neighborhood, right in front of my house. Any advice on how to keep a duck and a chick? I can get some kind of kiddy pool for my backyard, but how would I introduce the chick and duck to my hens? Can I keep the duck in our coop without a pool and let her out during the day to be in the kiddy pool? Thank y’all!

 

[chixmaidservice]

Sounds to me like solid planning on your part, I have only hens but have definitely read stories on here of mixed chicken and duck flocks. Glad you are trying to help the bad situation these babies have found themselves in...

 

[shinygirl]

Do you have any advice??? I have never introduced newcomers to an old flock, and I really don't even know how to care for a duck. food or anything.

 

[keesmom]

The big question is whether that duckling is a duck or drake. Keeping a drake housed solely with chicken hens is not a good idea. If female things will be easier.

Your roommate should reconsider her standards regarding her male companions

 

[shinygirl]

How can I find out if it is a duck or drake?
Also, it was her boyfriend's roommate, but yes, we are both freaking out about his decision!

 

[keesmom]

How old is the duckling? You can sex them using the quack test. Females quack loudly, males have a quieter raspy sounding voice.

 

[shinygirl]

The duckling is probably 1.5 weeks! I will ask him to listen.
This might be a dumb question, but can't ducks fly? Will he/she stay in my yard if I can keep her?

 

[keesmom]

At 1.5 weeks it may be a little early to tell. As for flying, it depends on what kind of duck it is. If it's a mallard they can certainly fly. If it's something like a Rouen, Campbell, Pekin or other domesticated breed, they do not fly well. Kind of like the heavier breed chickens.

I saw on another one of your threads that the duckling doesn't have water? They definitely need it though it doesn't need to be anything deep. For one thing they don't want it soaking whatever brooder they're in since that's bad for the chick. But it does have to be enough for the duckling to rinse down dinner.

 

[mobius]

How old will they be when you plan to introduce them to your flock?

For sure folks here say put them in a separate pen IN with your flock, but not where they can get pecked at, for about a couple weeks at least so they can see each other, get used to each other....then I have seen where people make a little door in the separate pen where only the chick can go in and out for safety...so it is a process of integration...

Unfortunately, I don't know from ducks, sigh....and YES lol your post header got my attention....good job...what a story...hopefully the guys are trying to learn something about animal husbandry....that is the nicest thing I can say about it....

.
If there is a VO-AG center at your school they might be able to help....just a thought...maybe with supplies or borrowing a separate enclosure for flock introduction...

 

[shinygirl]

Unfortunately no! We are a small campus. I was afraid a water dish would be bad for the chick, but I will make sure they have something the duck can play in... They have water for drinking, but I have a friend raising ducklings and they play in water all the time (just little dishes of water). If my parents let me take the odd pair, and if the duckling is a female, I will likely introduce them around 6 weeks, and outside while they are roaming around. Can a duck live happily in a coop? I can get a kiddy pool, but we can't keep our girls out unsupervised because they love messing up our neighbors' pine needles... I also just found out they are feeding the birds spinach

. Its been a while since I have had chicks, but I believe the starter feed is for ducks and chicks, right? And they need to have food available at all times?