I need advice NOW please.

[ChaosTheory]

Okay, my sisters and I have been talking about putting the ducks in with the chickens at night now because it'S way safer than their run. Every night the ducks sleep outside with the option of an open shelter in their run (not very predator proof, but we`ve had no problems of predators so far). Tonight, we made the decision to put the ducks in with the chickens, where they are right now. Is this a rash decision? The chickens are just over 15 weeks old, not very big. The ducks are pretty lenient too, they'll try to intimidate the chickens, but I've never seen an outright duck on chicken fight outside. Now, their run is very large, so the chickens have always had a place to run away to.

My biggest concern is the geese, the duck's "parents" (even though they're all the same age). They all slept together at night, always fine. If I all of a sudden take the ducks away from the geese at night, will this throw off their dynamic? Will the geese be even more open to predator attacks without the eyes and ears of the ducks helping them watch out?

I'm just freaking out right now and debating whether I should go out and let the ducks out right now. Advice please!

 

[dixiechick]

Trust your instincts here. I am sure you are okay. All of them are more intersted in roosting now anyway. I believe it will be OK.

 

[FenDruadin]

I think it will be fine. The ducks don't provide much protection to the geese, so they're no worse off now than they were with the ducks in there. And they'll all be back together in the morning, so no worries on that front--their dynamic shouldn't change.

I would be *mildly* worried about the chickens. I don't have chickens (I keep ducks), so I don't really know how big a chicken is at 15 weeks. If there is a big size differential, the ducks *might* attack the chickens during the night... but then, the chickens have roosts up high, right? So they can get away from any attack from a duck, I'm assuming...

I do think you're right to be concerned about predator protection at night for the ducks. I thought everything was fine for my flock too my first year. I kept *meaning* to fix the gap between the run and the house. I was going to do it eventually. But the fox found it first and ravaged my flock--only one duck left of eight after that.

Now the ducks live in Fort Ducks. It is well fortified and still I occasionally lose one.

So while I think your current solution is probably fine, I would try as soon as possible to get the duck run fortified and the geese protected as well. Even geese are vulnerable to predators, though not as badly as ducks.

 

[ChaosTheory]

I just went outside to see how the ducks were doing with the chickens and they all SEEMED fine. They were both at different ends of the coop, the chickens on the roosts and the ducks near the water and the door. I don't think there will be any fights, but I will make a note of raising the chicken's roosts a little highter just in case.

I have been trying to get my dad (I'm 18) to help find some wood so we can put crazy protection around the run (we have a chain link fence that we would use along with the wood and chicken wire that we currently have) but he's really cheap and it's taking a lot of nagging and it seems to me going no where <_<

Also, what do you guys who keep ducks in coops think of the mess they leave? I know ducks have much more watery poop, how would that work with the deep litter method?

 

[FenDruadin]

Ducks do GREAT with deep litter. However, they are much messier than chickens--you'll have to refresh the bedding every single day. I let my ducks free range during the day--they have far fewer problems with predators during the day than at night, but I do still occasionally lose one.

I like deep litter with ducks because it keeps them from making mud puddles (which they will do if they can reach the dirt) and it also prevents their wide feet from compacting the earth too much. It's also less work than cleaning out a cage every day!

Try advertising on craigslist for someone's leftover wood scraps. If you need to buy some, can you earn some income of your own to cover it? Some day you'll be glad your dad is "cheap"--it will probably mean he'll be in good financial condition when he retires, and you won't have to take care of him financially. I know that seems like a long way off, but I feel like I was a teenager just yesterday, and I'm SO grateful I don't have to worry about my parents's finances.

Anyway... now that I'm off my soap box...

You might be able to sell stuff on craigslist for a little cash--maybe some CDs, books (or try Amazon for that), old hobby equipment you don't use any more, etc.? Or do some babysitting, or get a regular job, or odd jobs around the neighborhood. A little cash can go a long way, and I'm sure your dad will appreciate your resourcefulness.

And when he sees how determined you are, maybe he'll be more ready to help out in whatever ways you need him to.

Glad to hear the current arrangement seems fine. Lots of folks keep chickens & ducks together, so you'll probably be just fine until you can get that run protected too.

 

[kcardella]

You made the right decision. My sister left her ducks out every night with a run-in pen near the pond, saying she did not have predators - until she lost two of her six ducks in one night. Now, they are locked up each night. There are predators everywhere, and raccoons even live in the city. It's usually only a matter of time before they find your birds at night.

I put my ducks in with month-old guineas, and even though the ducks pick at the keets a bit, they are not really aggressive like the grown hens or guineas would be. It has been a couple of weeks, and they are doing just fine together.

 

[ChaosTheory]

Quote:
Thanks for all the advice ^_^ Our coop is raised off the ground and has a wood floor, do you think that would affect the DLM differently?

Also, I do have a job but I go to University so I've been trying to save every penny myself. When I say my dad is cheap, I mean he doesn't want to go halfway on some old wood posts or extra fencing. I haven't given up or anything, but extra help is always nice.

=] The geese are sleeping soundly near the coop, I hear no duck ruckus, and I will swing by the feed shop to get extra bedding tomorrow. Woo!

 

[lotzahenz]

Today I went to TSC and bought a cheapie ($25) electric fence charger. I have some old wire and for about $3.99 for 25 insulators I have a mini hot wire set up. After seeing a recent post of 50 dead birds all lying there from a fox attack, I feel the need to protect my flock better. They are sorta safe at night, but when in the yard anything could sneak in. I don't want anyting trying to eat my bunnies too, so I am fencing them in on the other side of my coop. It may be cheaper for you to put the mini hot wire fence up rather than buy boards. I am putting the wire close to the ground, about 10 or 12 inches high. Oh, my one duck terrorizes the Tom Turkey, but they are really buds. Duck pulls Tom's chest feathers out, to keep the godzilla bird in line every so often. I think your ducks and chicks will adjust fine. HenZ

 

[ChaosTheory]

Ahhh thanks all for the advice

Aside from it being a little extra loud this morning, everyone was perfectly fine (except the water in the chicken coop was exceptionally dirty

)!

 

[kcardella]

LOL - yes, they will mess up the water VERY fast!