Hi everybody!!

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shanz7619

shanz7619

In the Brooder
Apr 22, 2016
24
0
30
Carlisle, Pa
Hi guys!! My name is Samantha and I joined because I am a first time flock owner/raiser. My two daughters, 5 and 2, wanted chickens and the landlord said ok so my husband got 6 straight run chicks. That was March 17th of this year. I'd say a little over a month ago he and the 5yo were sent for a bag of feed. They decided to come back with a male and female duck lol. Unfortunately in all the excitement of getting the ducks he failed to see the breed. But what I need to know is if it is too late to introduce them to the flock or if I still have time so we don't have to build another enclosure. Our chickens are 5 hens and one rooster. My one hen is maturing quicker than my other 4. I can't remember her breed but we were told that she would get bigger quicker. We have 2 Rhode island reds, a red sexling, a black sexling and then an almost fully white one which I can't remember her breed either. Our one Rhode island is the rooster. He doesn't show much interest in the ducks as I went into the coop holding them both and let the flock walk around me but I'm still iffy about just putting them in there and walking away. We had another rooster which was a blue Orpington and we tried introducing him to the flock before Rocky started maturing and it didn't go so well for my big hen Bertha as he attacked her. I was just going to let them all out and free range for the day tomorrow and see how it goes but I wanted some advice first. Ill try anything right now to get these ducks out of my shed lol. Too messy to stay in there all summer!! TYIA!!
 
Hi Samantha and welcome to BYC - glad that you have joined us.

I'd suggest that you post your questions on how to introduce your ducks to the chickens on the "Duck" forum - https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks as many duck-keeping members also have chickens.

More generally, if you type "keeping chickens and ducks together" in the search box, the threads there may help give you some pointers as to managing chickens and ducks together.

All the best
CT

Just came across this link
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-keep-different-poultry-types-living-together-in-one-coop
 
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Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.

Ducks can be housed with chickens, but it's not ideal. They will make their water very messy and dirty; this is manageable however some drakes are not. If your drake begins to attempt mounting your chickens he will need to be separated from them; drakes have penises, unlike roosters, and can seriously injure or kill chickens when attempting to mate with them. If you are able to make a separate area for your ducks it will be healthiest for the chickens.

Five hens and only one cockerel from straight run chicks? You are unbelievably lucky.
 
Welcome to BYC
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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I do agree with the other posters, Ducks do make HUGE messes in the coops as they need water to keep their nostrils clean and splash water everywhere. Drakes can kill hens with their mating. Their machinery is so much different than chickens. So it really isn't the best situation to keep them together.

But if you have the room to build separate housing, ducks sure are fun to keep!

Good luck and we do welcome you to our flock!
 
Thank you everyone for the welcome and advice! I did read about the darkest taking advantage of the hens which is what worries me. My husband already said if need be he will build them their own home mainly because they have their own little kiddie pool we got them and it won't fit in the run we have now for the chickens.
We were told by a lot of people we were very lucky to only get one male out of 6 straight runs lol. He is who concerned me with introducing the ducks because the hens are 'his girls'. But after taking them in with me it was actually my big girl who had me concerned. She has claimed me as hers and will follow me around and come when I call for her but she started making defensive sounds when I had them in there last night. I don't know if it was because of them or because I was holding them and she was jealous lol.
I just didn't know if because they are about 2mths younger than the chickens if it made a difference because I know if they were raised together it would've been easier to house them together. My husband may just have to put the car project on hold for a day or two and build Donald and Daisy their own house.
With all the predators we have I am way more concerned about the chickens hurting the ducks than I am about the Fox or coyote getting into the coop lol.
Again thank you everybody for your kind words of advice I greatly appreciate it!!
 

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