housing duck with chickens?

[ridinglizzard]

I have one duck. He has been on the pond all summer, but I am trying to figure out what to do with him for the winter. Last winter he and his mate were housed in a small duck house, but now he is alone. Should I put him in with the chickens for the winter? Might gross-up the chicken house more than it would be otherwise... but maybe he would be less lonely? What do you think?

 

[JulieNKC]

I think I would try to get him a duck friend. My 3 ducks share the coop and run with my chickens, but they don't hang out with the chickens except at meal times. I think chickens would be better company then none though.

 

[mickeymousears]

Yeah I agree. try to find a duck friend first. My ducks and dhickens grew up together and share a coop- its 2 stories tho chickens choose the top and ducks won't go up the ramp so they chose the bottom (I originally intended for the bottom to be free range area and top sleeping area for everyone- I guess they taught me a lesson about trying to control things).

At first glance it looks like they ignore eachother but I often find them napping in the same spot or grazing together and they always team up to chase off those annoying crows!! I think the chickens seek the ducks company more often than the reverse-especially my BR who freaks out if she can't immediately find the rir (who could care less for hanging with the crowd).

Maybe look at the animal shelter- ours sometimes gets chickens and ducks
Or craigslist always has ppl getting rid of things- and animals

I'm reminded of an episode of animal cops I saw awhile back- they rescued a flock of chickens/ducks/geese from a forclosure? Where they were abandoned. Some lady owned an apt complex with a pond and they had one lonely duck so she adopted the rescued ducks. OMG when they release the new ducks you should have seen the reaction of the resident duck it was the sweetest thing I've ever seen - I don't think he could have been more excited to finally have friends!! Brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it!

 

[maxxsmommy]

I raised my chickens and ducks together, they cant be without each other~ I call them my chickuckins cuz the ducks think they are chickens and the chickens think they are ducks. ha ha . its cute... I take my ducks out of the coop and the chickens go crazy!! start squawking like crazy!! then when we let them go back into the coop they all sit there and talk like they have not seen each other in forever!