Housing Chickens w/Ducks

[SportTees]

Does anyone house their chickens with there ducks?

 

[Shared Acres]

My chickens and ducks don't seem to like each other. In fact, I put a young duck in their a the hens chased him!

 

[vfem]

I don't have ducks yet, but my chickens go on lock down at night. When I get our ducks (and I WILL have ducks !!!! Even if it kills me to get some!!!!) they will have their own 'come and go as they please' type house. The ducks that hang out by our pond like to roam around all evening. They're out bugging us while we're cat fishing at 1am. I think they can see better then chickens at night and don't HAVE to be in the house at dusk.

 

[columbiacritter]

I do. There was some major hassles at first until the chickens learned to roost up out of the ducks reach. Ducks seem to be very territorial and they don't just sleep all night like chickens. Mine like to eat and drink a lot at night. They also lay their eggs in the morning before I let them out. Makes it nice. I gather the ducks eggs in the morning and the chicken eggs in the evening.

The duck are tons messier and their poo is way way wetter so you'll be cleaning twice as often as you would with just chickens. I don't know if the deep litter method would work with all the dampness ducks bring.

Make sure your outside run is big enough that everyone has room to get away from each other.

I have 5 hens and 5 ducks. Volume wise the ducks they 25 to 30% more.

 

[timbofarms]

I housed my ducks with my frizzle rooster and cochins for a couple of months and the chickens wouldn't let the ducks eat until they finished eating and sometimes was left with nothing to eat. So, it can be done but with caution. i hope this helps good luck!!!!

 

[timbofarms]

I housed my ducks with my frizzle rooster and cochins for a couple of months and the chickens wouldn't let the ducks eat until they finished eating and sometimes was left with nothing to eat. So, it can be done but with caution. i hope this helps good luck!!!!

 

[Katy]

I keep mine penned seperate...I can't imagine my ducks' mess in the with the chickens.

 

[wendy]

we have ours together 15 chickens and 8 ducks. they adapted and do just fine. took a little while for them to go into the coop at night. i let my ducks out first and let them eat for a little while then let the chickens out. the chickens don't let the ducks get to the food when they first all get out. so our peacock and ducks eat first for awhile. i let our chickens free range, but not the ducks. they don't move very fast. so while they are free ranging i bring out some more food for the ducks. my only complaint is snack time. if i have left overs or a special treat to bring out there. the chickens hog it!!!
i have some dog houses in the run to see if they will lay in those. i still have a few months before they might lay. i thought they were ready now. but read they can take up to seven months! judymae on here has her ducks and chickens together too.
hope this helps.

edited to say: you will love having ducks. give them a little wading pool if you don't have a pond and see the smile spread across your face as they play in the water. i told my dh that no one would need to pop a pill if they had ducks!!! IMPO!

wendy

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
Ah yes, I can see the ads now: "Ducks! The anti-drug." Mine sure do a lot to calm my nerves and relieve tension in my life.

Sporttees, are you asking because you already do this or are you planning to build/remodel your coops? If you stick with just your 4 chickens & 2 ducks, you probably could keep them all together without too much trouble. But if you plan to expand these flocks, you might want to at least have separate sleeping quarters for each species.

 

[English Chick]

I keep my one duck with the chickens, and there have been no problems ever. However it would appear that my Muscovy duck thinks she could possibly be a chicken and stis on the fence during the day with a group of my girls! LOL