How to convince parents to let you have ducks

[Jessie404]

Hi all, I was thinking that some Welsh Harlequins or Silver Appleyards would be a great addition to my chicken flock, but my parents disagree. So to aid me in my debate I was wondering if some current or previous duck owners could answer my following questions:

1. Our coop pen is next to a creek and we have heard that if a duck sees running water it will leave and follow the water, true or false?

2. The fence is 1.5 metres high, can the ducks get over that?

3. Do ducks and chickens like each other?

4. What do you feed ducks?


Thanks in advance

 

[Jessie404]

Also, how many drakes can you have together with a female

 

[DobieLover]

I had a flock of Muscovies as a kid. They will not follow a creek.
Ducks are great fliers.
Ducks and chickens get along fine.
Ducks eat a balanced food with appropriate levels of niacin.
Drakes in a pen with your chickens could lead to dead hens if the drakes breed them and they do.
Ducks are very, very messy compared to chickens.
I'm sorry, but I'm with your parents on this. I wouldn't want ducks kept with chickens especially if they are penned and you don't have a natural pond.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

i recommend all girls for you because they are with chickens. keeping with chickens is fine, but you need a big coop so they all have space and no issues. drakes that are not imprinted on chickens or didn’t grow up with them will NOT mate them though. i had my two drakes being petsit with some chickens and they were fine together, only issue was the chickens pecking order with each other (not with the ducks)

1) no they won’t leave. but creek time needs to be supervised. so many predators live in water and you will need to be prepared to help them if they need.
2) depends on the breed how high they fly
3) if they are properly introduced
4) at the moment i use Dumor Simple Nutrition as their unlimited dry feed, daily salad, and daily protein supplement (mealworms, fly grubs, shrimp, crickets)

 

[Callender Girl]

I have chickens and ducks, and there are certainly pros and cons to each.

All of mine are Indian runner ducks; they have ridiculously undersized wings and "flight" is nearly impossible for them -- except once in a great while if one is particularly scared or excited, it will "fly" over the 2-foot fencing -- a trip that lasts maybe five seconds. Mostly, mine stare at a fence and walk away.

Ducks, once they're grown, will be fine with an all-flock feed. When they're young, I've feed brewer's yeast for extra niacin. Frozen peas, a decent source of niacin, makes a great lifetime treat. Also, mine will scavenge any leftover chicken feed which reduces the chance of furry pests being lured into the yard.

My runners LOVE water and are happy to splash in a kiddie pool or small stock tank. I have no idea if they would follow a creek.

Chickens and ducks here have separate living quarters. They free range together during the day and are fine, although they tend to wander around within their own species group. A duck might nip at a chicken and a chicken might nip at a duck, but there are no real fights and nothing worse than a warning nip.

At night, they have their own housing because the chickens need more shelter from the elements, sleeping in warm, comfy confines, while the ducks seem to relish -- or at least not mind -- having a partially open shelter. Rain doesn't bother them, and mine survive cold, windy, ugly winters with no ill effects from having some exposure to the weather. So, housing is much easier.

However, ducks are far, far messier because they love water so much and will climb into a water dish and splash endlessly. That makes any bedding in the shelter soggy, smelly and in need of frequent changing.

You do need to be mindful of how many drakes you have because they are very hard on the females during breeding time, which eases off in the fall and winter. Of course, my Iowa Blue rooster is also a frequent breeder and has to be penned so he doesn't try to breed every hen in the yard, including the tiny Bantam girls. I have seven females and three drakes, and have never had a problem with drakes trying to breed a chicken, but I know others have.

So, there are reasons not to get ducks and reasons to get ducks. My biggest reason for ducks is that I absolutely love the goofy, entertaining critters.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

At night, they have their own housing because the chickens need more shelter from the elements, sleeping in warm, comfy confines, while the ducks seem to relish -- or at least not mind -- having a partially open shelter. Rain doesn't bother them, and mine survive cold, windy, ugly winters with no ill effects from having some exposure to the weather. So, housing is much easier.

mine refuse to even go outdoors for more than an hour in the winter. they can survive the cold but they don’t really like it

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I love my ducks but they are a lot of work. I change out 20-70 gallons of water a day. I change out dirty, wet shavings every couple of days. I have to hire a pet sitter to come twice a day when I am out of town. I am not saying it isn’t worth it, but it is a lot.

Also, what are your future plans? How long do you plan to be living at home? You did not mention your age but if you plan to leave home in the next few years, what then? Will your parents have to do that work?

Sorry, I’m just being a mom and want you to know what you would be getting yourself into.