How does raising chicks differ from raising ducklings?

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

Good morning from sunny Florida!

I've only raised ducks. I have five--a drake and his lovely four hens. We've had them almost two years now and they are just lovely.

I've never raised chickens.

Twenty-one days ago, I purchased some muscovy duck eggs locally. Yesterday, three of those eggs hatched...and were obviously not muscovies! They are chickens! The person I got them from said they must be American Bresse, which free-range with her muscovy ducks. So now I have three chicks in my bathtub-turned-brooder and I don't really know what to do with them. I dipped their beaks in water, showed them their food...they mostly just hop around and peep under the brooder heat plate. One of them has a pretty squinty eye.

I don't know what to do with these things! But they are kind of cute and my kids love them, so I guess we'll start keeping chickens, too. I'm tempted to head to TSC to purchase a few additional chicks...would it be okay to put them right in the brooder with these new babies?

Also, is there anything I should NOT do with these chicks that is common with ducks (besides teaching them to swim, haha)? Anything I should be doing that I didn't have to do with my ducks? And what's all this about Marek's and Coccidiosis? Do all chickens get these diseases if not vaccinated and fed medicated feed?

Thanks, y'all!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can easily add more chicks if they are under a week or so. Raising chicks is pretty boring. Change water, filler feeder, clean brooder, repeat until they are old enough to go outside or move to a bigger area.

I personally don't use medicated feed nor vaccinate. It all depends on what's in your soil, and how you plan to deal with any health problems that may arise.

Cocidia comes from the soil. Usually wet areas. Chicks will build natural immunity over time. I usually add a clump of clean sod to my brooder after a few weeks to get them digging around in it.

Mareks is everywhere. Vaccines don't always protect them, and they need to be given at 1 day old. I always get non vaccinated chicks. We cull symptomatic birds. It hasn't been a big issue for us.

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

You can easily add more chicks if they are under a week or so. Raising chicks is pretty boring. Change water, filler feeder, clean brooder, repeat until they are old enough to go outside or move to a bigger area.

I personally don't use medicated feed nor vaccinate. It all depends on what's in your soil, and how you plan to deal with any health problems that may arise.

Cocidia comes from the soil. Usually wet areas. Chicks will build natural immunity over time. I usually add a clump of clean sod to my brooder after a few weeks to get them digging around in it.

Mareks is everywhere. Vaccines don't always protect them, and they need to be given at 1 day old. I always get non vaccinated chicks. We cull symptomatic birds. It hasn't been a big issue for us.

Thank you!!