I need help by this weekend! mixing chickens with ducks...

[iluvsedward]

I want to get some new chickens and maybe a couple ducks this weekend from two different suppliers, most likely on the same trip, but I'm wondering......Can I mix chickens and ducks from two different flocks or will they fight a lot?Please help! I really don't want to take a gamble..
I can give you the craigslist posts if you want to see what I will be getting.

 

[WilsonAcres]

They should be fine . Ducks and chickens cannot transfer diseases to one another. They may bicker a little because they're just getting used to each other. Be very careful having a chicken hen in with a duck drake though if the drake tries to mate the chicken hen he will seriously hurt her. Another thing to think about is how you're going to keep the chickens water clean..ducks are MESSY!! It is workable though good luck!!

 

[abbylane35]

I have my chickens and ducks together...they are fine. The ducks do their thing, the chickens do theirs. I agree with the water comment though...the ducks make a mess! I am constantly cleaning up around the waterer...

Good luck!

 

[Kevin565]

Yes you can mix ducks and Chickens. However, you Must watch that the drakes don't try to breed your hens. This can cause serious injury even death.

 

[iluvsedward]

Yes you can mix ducks and Chickens. However, you Must watch that the drakes don't try to breed your hens. This can cause serious injury even death.

How do I prevent this? I am getting drakes because the person doesn't want to be left wit a whole bunch of them and I have no other choice

 

[sourland]

When no duck hens are available and even sometimes when they are available, drakes will breed chicken hens. Due to physical differences between roosters and drakes this can potentially harm the hens. The only way to assure that it does not happen is either to have separate pens or consider not getting the drakes.