just starting in SoMD

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itsbob

itsbob

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I built the coop myself, friend donated the birds, but this is all new to me. Hope I'm doing it right.
I have an older Barred Rock, middle aged buff amd two young leghorns as well as 2 Pekin ducks.

Coop itself is big enough for 20 or more birds, and am going to enlarge their yard, it's currently about 6' X 12'.. hope to go 12 X 20.. do let them out every night to roam and forage for an hour or two everday.

Coop has a slide out bottom for cleaning, two roosting bars and 4 large nesting boxes which I think I can convert to six if needed but right now they are only using two of them.

Pekins have me baffled as they wouldn't leave the coop when I brought them home, after 2 days I physically put them in the run and they haven't been back in the coop since..

Wife and I are picking up some chicken eggs to hatch and an incubator and I ordered 10 khaki campbell eggs to hatch. Probably return the favor and share most of the t
Hatchlings, but plan on 8-10 chickens total and 6 -8 ducks..

Anybody see any issues?

And thanks!
 
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please visit the Learning Center and then branch out to the threads for Incubation & Hatching, Coops & Runs(especially predator proofing_), for info on ducks head for "Other Backyard poultry." I don't know if ducks usually come indoors for a coop but I know they like to swim each day - people usually get them a kiddy pool if they don't have a stream on their property.

Chicks can begin on medicated started feed but you DON'T give medicated feed to ducks.
 
welcome!! as an owner of 3 Pekins I can tell ya that they will not roost like chickens. They dont tend to need a coop just a nest box on the ground for your hens will do. Good luck and WELCOME!!!
 
Posted this elsewhere.. first hatch had over 70% success rate, but since putting them in my brooder I'm losing 1 or 2 a day, started with 16 down to 12.

Using a large plastic tub, have a bird feeder in it with mannapro chick starter, two nipple waterers and a 250w brooding lamp, temp is between 90-92.

Had cedar shavings in there originally, maybe for the first day, and removed about 90% of it and replaced with paper towels...

This is driving me nuts as the first one or two were expected.. just didn't get stronger after hatching but the last few were runnu ing around, chirping, active then go out and check and they're dead.
 
Oh and the brooder is in my garage.
 
Last piece if info (I'm now down to 10 chicks, all but one bantam are gone) is I have both medicated and unmedicated chick starter.. I got the unmedicated for the ducks and have had medicated food in the brooder from day one.
 

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