Living life on the edge (of the incubator) hatch-a-long

[ElfenLied89]

Ta-da!
View attachment 3735857

Omg. Your doodles are the best!

 

[ElfenLied89]

I want ducks too. I am afraid they will just leave though? As they can fly.

 

[BantyChooks]

I want ducks too. I am afraid they will just leave though? As they can fly.

Most ducks can't fly well, and even my flighted (domestic) ducks never left. I free-ranged them.

 

[ElfenLied89]

Most ducks can't fly well, and even my flighted (domestic) ducks never left. I free-ranged them.

And ducks and chicken babies like each other? I am all about expanding my poultry collection, but also want to start collecting other pretty birds. Like ducks. I think ducks are adorable just like chickens.

 

[BantyChooks]

And ducks and chicken babies like each other? I am all about expanding my poultry collection, but also want to start collecting other pretty birds. Like ducks. I think ducks are adorable just like chickens.

I wouldn't raise them in the same brooder, ducklings have different dietary needs and are VERY messy which can increase disease risk in chicks. I usually integrate them out in the coop & don't have issues.

 

[fluffycrow]

Most ducks can't fly well, and even my flighted (domestic) ducks never left. I free-ranged them.

If I ever were to get ducks, I have always said I'd get ducks that can fly well. We get really crazy wildfires (comes with the weather I like so much), and although there hasn't been a need to evacuate so far, I want to be prepared. It's really hard to save every single bird, especially if they don't want to be caught, while you're trying to save your own life. So my thinking with the ducks has been for them to be able to fly, so that they can escape the danger by themselves, probably by flying to the sea or some body of water, or just a safer place

 

[fluffycrow]

I wouldn't raise them in the same brooder, ducklings have different dietary needs and are VERY messy which can increase disease risk in chicks. I usually integrate them out in the coop & don't have issues.

I've read a lot of people on BYC saying you can't have drakes in with the chickens. Have you had any issues with that?

 

[BantyChooks]

I've read a lot of people on BYC saying you can't have drakes in with the chickens. Have you had any issues with that?

Nope. I usually keep a trio (one drake, two hens) at a time.. though I have had as many as 15-20 ducks in with my flock. They do their own thing and don't interact with the chickens much, as long as they're given plenty to do and explore. Bored birds tend to develop more neurotic or weird behaviours IMO. A bigger coop and run would fix half the issues posted on BYC.

 

[BantyChooks]

From 2017. I think I had 2 drakes here but later sold one as I didn't have enough hens to support both of them.

 

[fluffycrow]

Nope. I usually keep a trio (one drake, two hens) at a time.. though I have had as many as 15-20 ducks in with my flock. They do their own thing and don't interact with the chickens much, as long as they're given plenty to do and explore. Bored birds tend to develop more neurotic or weird behaviours IMO. A bigger coop and run would fix half the issues posted on BYC.

That is very true!



Thank you for your experience, nice to learn something new each day! Something else that interests me; do drakes act in a similar fashion as roosters? Do they, for example, keep the group together, and accompany the hens to the nest boxes and back, or is their role solely mating?