I may be in over my head...

[Taj_MaChicken]

Long story short, a friend of my boyfriend has a baby chick and duck that they can't care for. We offered to take then in.

I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT DUCKS.

I researched chickens for a LONG time before we brought them home. I basically have 12 hours to prepare for this. Mentally, at least.

I know it'll be in a brooder for a bit, but will it be able to live with my other chicks? Do they have specific needs? HALP!

 

[bex1983]

@WVduckchick @casportpony @Miss Lydia

I am newer to ducks and don’t have chickens so have no advice for keeping them together but have tagged some of the people who have helped me during my journey so far...

I do know the duckling will require extra niacin in the feed whether you keep them together or not (since I assume you will be feeding them both the same food) which you do by adding some brewers or nutritional yeast I believe. And it will need water deep enough to dip its bill and head into. I have also heard chickens are not as messy as ducks...

 

[DeanBaugh]

Lol ducks are chickens best friends depending on the breed you may not even need a pool just a water source we’re they can submerged there bills in u should be fine but if u want a pool go right ahead

 

[DeanBaugh]

Lol ducks are chickens best friends depending on the breed you may not even need a pool just a water source we’re they can submerged there bills in u should be fine but if u want a pool go right ahead

 

[DeanBaugh]

And no medicated feed or water as to give chickens medicine you just put it in water to ducks they can kill a water in 2 mins flat so it would be like overdosing them so if they do get a little sick just get a syringe and feed it to them

 

[DeanBaugh]

And no medicated feed or water as to give chickens medicine you just put it in water to ducks they can kill a water in 2 mins flat so it would be like overdosing them so if they do get a little sick just get a syringe and feed it to them

 

[DuckyDonna]

Good read about medicated vs non-medicated feed by @Pyxis

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...medicated-feed-the-myths-and-the-truth.74761/

 

[Taj_MaChicken]

Thanks! We just got them home and they handed them to us in a box with cedar shavings and the duck was scarfing them down

I read last night about the niacin and non-medicated food, which, at least they fed it the non medicated foos, but didn't look like they were supplementing. Hopefully there won't be any long term damage. I think it might be around 4 weeks and it seems to be able to stand up and walk fine.

 

[Miss Lydia]

No cedar shaving either the oils are very harmful to poultry respiratory system. Plain pine or hardwood shavings. TSC has it get the large flake so the duckling won’t eat it.

 

[cheekychick3]

Hi although we only have chickens now, when we had our farm, we had loads of ducks.
They are lovely, it is a lovely thing, that you have given them a home. Good Luck.