Hello! I was wondering if it's ok to raise 4 female pekin ducklings with 7 Rhode Island Red chicks and 7 barred rock chicks. Do I really NEED a male pekin? Please respond
Yes you can raise ducklings with chicks - understand that ducklings are sloppy and messy, and this can lead to problems. You do not need a drake unless you want fertile hatching eggs. Upon occasion a drake in a mixed flock can cause problems. If a drake starts breeding the chicken hens it can result in injuries and also deaths.
I suggest you head to the duck section of the forum and start doing some research, there's tons of great information there When you get your ducklings, make sure you DO NOT feed them medicated feed. Mine also seemed to do better on feed with a higher protein content (20% or so). Most of their mess comes from the water. They love to play in it, even the standard chicken drinkers you get at the Co-op and Tractor Supply can be a source of unbelievable mess when ducks get into them. I kept my ducks water on top of a platform (a wooden square with hardware clothe over top), which had a large rubber bowl underneath. When they'd start dabbling, most of it would fall through the wire into the bowl instead of soaking their bedding. I also kept their pool as far from their coop as I could manage, so they weren't splashing around in it and heading into the coop soaking wet. Good luck!
