integrating ducks with chickens

[raymondjames]

Today i learned that ducklings can go outside 4-5 weeks if weather is warm out!! THANK YOU GLOBAL WARMING i dont have to keep them inside too long.
I am about to order my White Crested drake and 2 welsh harlequin ducks, when i realized:
How will they integrate with the chickens?
Some of my birds are bantams, others standard. But not full grown. They will be 24-25 weeks when ducks are 4 weeks (ready to go outside). I dont know how big ducklings get in that time or if theyll get picked on or not... How was your success if you had this or a similar situation? How should i go about doing this?

 

[Missouricowboy4]

Before when we first put all ours together it was our 4 pekins with 2 geese in with our chickens, they only problem we had was every once in awhile have a duck or goose chase a chicken or young hen around but for the most part the chickens are smart enough to stay out of the way and are alot faster than the water fowl. i would say try it and watch em and if they do ok for the day they should be fine. thats just what i think though it all depends on how they all get along. the only real problem we had waqs with our turkeys and the ducks they never got along so we end up having to kick the turkey out. Hope this helps..

 

[m.kitchengirl]

My chickens bullied my ducks mercilessly.
Until the drake hit maturity and he began stalking and defiling my chickens. When the violence became uncontrollable I was forced to re-home my drake. They can kill the chickens trying to mate them, and even seem to try to kill them & NOT mate with them. It was a traumatic few months for me, the chickens, and the lady ducks. No matter what I tried he was relentless.
Just a little warning. Not all drakes do that, but if you read through posts, you'll find it is a VERY common problem.
Now everyone gets along fine. The girl ducks know that when the chickens have a buffet in the duck house they can go to the chicken coop & have their own little buffet. Everyone gets along better now.

 

[raymondjames]

they can kill the chickens trying to mate them? is that because ducks cant fertilize chickens, or because they beat them up? I hope i have good luck with this. ill look around the posts for advice.

 

[Miss Lydia]

they can kill the chickens trying to mate them? is that because ducks cant fertilize chickens, or because they beat them up? I hope i have good luck with this. ill look around the posts for advice.

Ducks and chickens have a totally different anatomy and their reproductive organs are very different chickens mate on the outside of the body ducks inside so a drake mating with a chicken means death most of the time, but i have ducks and chickens living together without problems, but my drakes have 8 girls between them so they stay busy, plus i don't think my roosters would tolerate one of the drakes messing with his girls either.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

If they are just ducklings now you are probably fine. And, as I said, you may have a drake that is just a perfect little gentleman.
But, anatomically ducks & chickens don't mesh. That can cause problems in & of itself.
The other problem is that the drake will just grab the hens by the chest & shake & shake & shake. Drag them into the bushes & maul them. What a pain in the ... Not to mention disturbing.
One day I had guests over, playing music. I noticed everyone distracted & staring around me. One of the guys said, "hey, what kind of place you running here?". I turned around & there he was, dragging my SLW into the bushes...

 

[raymondjames]

the forum says the anatomical differences can damage the hen. so no fertile duck eggs? or will he only mate the ducks? i hope i dont have to cancel my order (already processed)

 

[Miss Lydia]

the forum says the anatomical differences can damage the hen. so no fertile duck eggs? or will he only mate the ducks? i hope i dont have to cancel my order (already processed)

The only way you'll have fertile duck eggs is if you have a male duck[drake]

 

[m.kitchengirl]

@ Raymond James - I meant chicken hens. Your drake will have no trouble fertilizing duck hens.

 

[jessiduck]

LOL! So thankful that we can put our ducks outside soon as well! Ours are 4week old runners and
I wouldn't put them in with your chickens because they're not big enough AT ALL to defend themselves.
Especially not in a coop! They could maybe free-range together if you monitor how they act towards eachother, but I wouldn't advise keeping them together all of the time.
Good luck with them and enjoy having them!