I might be getting a duck!

[Star and eclipsa]

I might be getting a duck that will live with my chickens. Anyone have any advice on keeping duck?

 

[Wyochance]

I might be getting a duck that will live with my chickens. Anyone have any advice on keeping duck?

I am in the middle of raising a duck and three chicks. First time. There is lots of great advice here. They are now about ten weeks old and when I take her over to the pond she only swims for a couple of minutes until she misses her "sisters" and takes off waddling back to the coop. I am really enjoying having a duck.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

You should read up on the byc duckling care. They need access to a lot of water and are very messy in comparison. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/
They are a lot different than chickens. I remember your set up and not sure a duckling would work in your situation.
Plus, ducks really should have two for companionship. If you end up with a drake, it could harm your chicken enough to cause death.

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/why-you-shouldnt-keep-just-one-duck.1228573/

 

[Star and eclipsa]

You should read up on the byc duckling care. They need access to a lot of water and are very messy in comparison. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/
They are a lot different than chickens. I remember your set up and not sure a duckling would work in your situation.
Plus, ducks really should have two for companionship. If you end up with a drake, it could harm your chicken enough to cause death.

I plan on getting a female duck. If the person selling them knows how to sex them. And I can try to get two.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@Star and eclipsa you really need to think this through. I mean really research it. They are going to be messy. Poop everywhere - up, down, and all around. And, not like a chicken. Is mom and grandma on board?
Where will they be housed? They like to have water and make a mess of the water. So, really should be separated from the chickens.
Just throwing this out - as an adult, I decided to get ducks in addition to my chickens. Everything was cute, but now that they are getting bigger and older, I see the mess that everyone was talking about. I am not going to house them together. So, I have two separate housing options and a run. Not sure the run is large enough for both species - it is 16'x16'. So, considering all of that, I am second guessing my decision to have ducks. I am keeping them, but it would have been so much easier to just get a few more chickens!
Even if the person you are getting them from can sex the ducklings, there is a chance it would be wrong. Then, what would you plan to do with a drake? As well, the rooster might try to mate with your duck(s). It is not as devastating as a drake mating with a chicken, but could still lead to trouble.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Also, ducks eat a lot more food than chickens. Plus, you have to consider their extra nutriional needs for proper growth (niacin).