is it ok to raise ducks with chicks?

[americana-chick]

hey all! i have been thinking about getting a few chicks and ducks to add to my flock but, i was wondering if ducks and chickens are pretty much the same besides looks and swimming? will the ducks kill the chicks/chickens when they are older/younger? would i have to seperate them? and anything special that i would have to get/do for the ducks?
any information will be great thanks!
~Bri

 

[americana-chick]

oh and could you also post pics of your ducks and tell me what breed they are? my feed store doesnt label ducks.

thansk again!
~Bri

 

[hobbychick]

My cousin has some pekins and she keeps them in the pen w/her chickens. Everyone seems do get along just fine. She keeps a baby pool in there for the ducks and the chickens drink out of it.
I guess it could depend on the ducks.
There are a lot of smart people on here I am sure you will get plenty of answers.
What Kind of ducks are you wanting?

 

[Wifezilla]

Purebred Khaki Campbell. I hatched JJ myself

.

This little goober is either a Rouen or a mallard. I wont know which until it is grown. The feed store I got Bungie from didn't label theirs either and the clueless teenagers there wouldn't know a duck from a hole in the ground.

 

[bangor777]

if you do a search you will find lots of good answers to this question. It is one that is frequently asked. I'm just embarking on adding ducks to my backyard flock. In my research I've learned that one problem is the mess that ducks make. My plan was to keep the water outside the coop (as ducks bill it out and can make the bedding quite wet). I'll offer the water outside to cut down on mess. The other thing that has been suggested is a small dog house type enclosure for the ducks just for sleeping. I'll be watching this thread to see what others have to say.

 

[b.hromada]

My ducks and chickens have been raised together, with no problem. The ducks even go in the coop at night with my chickens!

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

Ducklings I generally do not raise with chicks since ducklings are way to humid and messy. Chicks are a bit sensitive when it comes to humidity. As adults I do keep them together.
I keep my ducks water outside, so the coop stays nice and dry. The chickens run resembles a Bog pit though and smells somethin fierce(eau a la wet chicken/duck poop). I usually do not get any clean chicken eggs except for winter(when we have snow) or middle of summer(where its too hot and dry to stay muddy) since the chickens trudge around in wet duck muck all day and drag it into the nest boxes no matter how much straw I put in the coop to help keep the feet clean.

Other then that I got no problems keeping adults together. Some drakes have too much of a sexdrive I have heard and try to mate with chickens, which can end badly for the chicken.... I haven't had one of those, but my muscovy drake finds the chickens too small, he rather tries to mate with the geese(idiot).

Anna

 

[Katy]

I've never kept mine together since ducks are much messier than chicks or chickens are.

 

[Fancie]

It worked out alright untill the chicken followed the duck into the pond...

 

[Fancie]

wifezilla wont you be able to tell if its a rouen or mallard by how fast he grows??