Is this cruel....?

[cas062720]

Hey Members of BYC!

I'm starting a small flock of chickens in about a month. I live in a suburban area, so I can't have too many chickens. But I was planning on getting a duck. I've read online that one duck can become lonely, but I have also seen stories of a single duck living with chickens and enjoying it. If I raised it with chickens, could it be ok?

I like cayugas and muscovies because they arent too loud...

Thanks!

 

[Pyxis]

You should definitely get two. Two aren't any harder to care for than one, and they really don't like being alone with chickens. I have a drake who was raised with chickens and still when all his females were killed this year in a predator attack, he left to go live with my neighbor's pekins because he was lonely. We are letting him live there until my ducklings are adults before getting him back because that's the best thing for him. He'd be very lonely and sad if I kept him here with just the chickens and geese.

 

[Amykins]

Trust me, two is best. I also thought that one lone duck could be okay if it bonded to other animals, but instead I wound up with an imprinted house duck that I can never leave alone for even a second! Aside from causing him stress, I've had to sacrifice my social life and job prospects 'cuz I simply can't leave the poor guy to quack and quack and quack in desperation all day.

So I got him a girlfriend. :3

 

[txcarl1258]

If you are keeping them with chickens in close quarters I recommend two muscovy females. Domestic drakes can get sex crazed and can injure your chickens since they have a phallus and the hens are designed to be penetrated. Muscovy drakes can be aggressive to chickens if they are in close quarters.