Mixing hens and duck with ducklings.

[lala3hens]

Can baby ducklings live in a coop with grown hens? Long story short.... I'm a city dweller with 3 hens. I have a pond and a mallard flew in over a year and stayed. She had a few visitors this spring and laid eggs. I keep the chickens in the coop until afternoon then let them free range in the backyard (they love the creek running into the pond). However, they found the duck eggs and ate a couple so I kept them caged until the ducks hatched. So, ducklings were swimming in the pond yesterday! 6 cute babies, 2 unhatched eggs. One drowned today when it got stuck in the cattails. Then 2 ducklings went under our fence and the neighbor cat had its paw holding one down. Luckily the neighbor heard the racket and saved the ducks. He told me when he was growing up the put the baby ducks in with the chickens and the chickens would help protect them? I thought I heard you had to remove non mother hens if they had chicks because they kill the babies. I couldn't find snyghing on the web about baby ducklings and grown hens. Does anyone know?

 

[drumstick diva]

I don't know much about ducks but, I think they should be separated from the chickens - because the hens might kill the ducklings. Maybe when the ducks are about hen size they could fend for themselves but, I wouldn't risk it now. Poor duckies, I never thought about babies getting tangled in cattails and drowning.

You could go to "Other backyard poultry " forum which includes ducks and geese etc. and post your questions to them for a more definitive answer.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, lalahens, and

! Great to have you in our community! Drumstick gave you some great advice. Good luck to you!

 

[DDNONIN2016]

Hello and welcome....so glad you joined BYC

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Hi and Welcome to BYC!!!

Glad to have you aboard!!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!