Letting ducks in the yard with chickens?

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

My ducks are 7 weeks old and I'd like to let them out of their pen to wander the yard, which has always been the chickens' territory. Any advice or anything I should be concerned about? I do have one rooster; will he hurt the ducks?

 

[ExpLo721]

One of my friend's ducks live in harmony with the chickens and roosters, but i'm not sure if there was some training/preparation involved.

 

[cheraboo]

I've been wondering about this also. We have our breed birds which will remain separated but the kids are doing roasters and pekins for 4H. We pick up roasters this week and the pekins two weeks after. I'm hoping we can keep them together after they leave the brooder. We've always done broilers and cornish at our leader's farm and they are fine. Not sure of the temperament of the roasters, though. They get so dang big compared to the broilers and cornish! And wouldn't you know it's my 10 year old that is going to be raising them

 

[randytheeggman]

I put 2 male ducks in with my 7 hens . I thought they would act like watch dogs since I don't have a rooster for noise problemms..... The ducks got more and more agressive and killed 2 of my hens before I could get rid of them. They would corner the hen, mount it and pet the back of the chickens head until bald and eventually dead.

I then got 2 female ducklings and raised them with a little banty chick and put them in the coop and yard when big enough. Now with just females everyone gets along but the banty hen thinks it's a duck.

 

[GrannySue]

One of my runner drakes spent a while in perfect harmony with 3 pullets. His partner, another drake, was killed by a masked bandit and he hung around with the girls.
Then he figured out he was a boy and they were girls. The "relationship" changed, he chases and mounts them now when ever he feels like it. They're okay, if a bit bald. He has 2 ducks, (4 as of this afternoon) knows what to do with them and does it, but still shags the chickens whenever the spirit moves him.

 

[Bec]

I have 2 7 week old pekins out in my yard that freerange in the yard with my chickens. Everyone gets along just fine! I think they think that they are chickens! They sleep in the chicken pen under the coop. They have a tub of water, but i keep that up in they yard..they tend to get messy!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

OMG I had no idea that ducks would try to mate with chickens! I could just see my rooster going after them if they tried. That might not be good...

I have to admit that I was "chicken" this weekend and didn't let them out. They seem so content. I currently have a 4 ft chain link fence and this week they'll be installing a 6 ft wood privacy fence. Maybe then I won't be as nervous. Maybe...

 

[RHewitt]

Quote:
Bec and I have the same thing going on. I also have two pekins that live with the chickens and get along fine. The ducks seem to intimidate the chickens and they just stay out of the ducks way.

 

[Bec]

They do intimidate the chickens but not in a mean way. I think it may be their size, the chickens just move out of the way when the ducks come in the pen, but they don;t run and scatter like they are scared.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

Ducks....hmm. Well, this is what I have found with my ducks living with the chickens and how I have handled it.

Ducks are messy. No way around it. They kept my run wet all the time. My run is large, but wet run equals smelly run. Also, now that they are 5 months old, they are soooo different, the drakes chase the females around LIKE CRAZY. So, out the door they go in the mornings to free range, and every evening they go back to the run for their safty at night. This kepts my sanity...wait, no it doesn't. It just solves my duck problems.

Claudia