New baby chicks...

[kristineinks]

I just discovered this forum today and am so glad I did, already it has been immensely helpful!

I had planned on ordering some chicks from McMurray Hatchery this year, but yesterday while at the feed store, couldn't help but buy a few of their chicks that had just arrived. We got 8 black pullets and 6 assorted bantams, but I've yet to identify any of them. Here are a couple photos:

We also bought 6 ducklings, but again, I have no idea what kind they are! They all get along so well, it's very cute...Now I've just got to decide what to order from McMurray and we'll be set.

Kristine in KS

P.S. Does anyone here have experience raising chickens & ducks together? Can they be kept together or will they require separate living quarters?

 

[CarriBrown]

They are so sweet! I love the little duck in there with the chicks.

 

[Marc33]

That is going to be alot of fun to watch the ducks grow up with chicks. Wait til they beeline to puddles and the chicks will think they're crazy! Have fun!

 

[bigzio]

Kristine, Welcome to BYC. While some poeople raise ducklings and chicks together, I prefer not to because ducklings are waterfowl and require water while eating, thus being more sloppy and creating wet bedding, which isn't good for chicks.

If you do, removing wet bedding should be done daily. Too much water for chicks can drown them and ducklings will need to be limited to chick waterers, while they would prefer a bigger drink. Just my thoughts, I'm sure there are other opinions.

bigzio

 

[aznewbe]

I think most hatcheries wont ship ducks and chicks together. Plus if your feed is medicated it is bad for the ducks. ( I think I read that some where)

 

[kingsdaughter]

The ducks need to be able to get there whole head in the water. You can nail some boards together to make a square perimater and staple chicken wire to the top to make a little platform for the water dish to help keep things dry. You can also put the water dish and the food dish at seperate ends of the brooder to help with water problems. The medicated feed is also not good.

You have heard they can drown in water if they cant get out, or get sick if its not warm enough to dry off.

Heres a great duck link.. lol that sounds like duckling....anyway...

http://www.newagrarian.com/homestead/ducks/index.html

Have fun with them!

 

[kristineinks]

Thank you so much for all for the feedback. I have noticed that the shavings in nearly half of the enormous brooder I've got them in (a 5' x 3' x 3' galvanized trough) are soaked on a VERY regular basis, courtesy of the ducklings. They make quite a mess of the water! The woman at the feed store sold me a non-medicated gamebird starter formula, so I'm okay there...I'm primarily wondering about their living quarters when they're older. We've got a 8' wide x 6' tall x 5' deep metal shed that I'd planned on converting into a shelter for them...I'm collecting estimates right now from fencing companies to build a fence around the shed (I was thinking 6' high x 20' long x 10' deep, with a cover), but wasn't sure if I should plan to separate them within that or if they'd all do okay together. There's plenty of land, so perhaps I should make it bigger & do separate quarters? Or maybe they'd be okay?

 

[TheBigWRanch]

Ducks should always have a pool of water to swim in as adults. The only problem I see with keeping the chickens in a pen with a pool, is that they could easily drowned. If they were free ranging I could see keeping them together, because they could spread out and have different areas, but in an enclosed pen it would be harder. Maybe there's someone that keeps their ducks and chickens in an enclosed pen that can tell you how they make it work. Also the problem of wet flooring will never go away even when they grow older and for ducks it's fine, but it really isn't good for chickens. I don't think anyone has the time to keep up with the mess ducks make forever.

 

[dreamercat1]

I have mature chickens and ducks in a pen together and don't have a problem. I have dug a recessed area in the middle of the pen for the ducks that I fill with water each day. I have a couple of water buckets set around the pen for the chickens.

The pen is two parts, one covered with a 4-section nesting box (10x12) and a section that is not covered (15x20). I also have 2 small enclosed pen for younglings. One currently has 2 young mallards and the other is soon to be home to 4 chicks.

I tried to raise the chicks and ducklings together and that lasted a couple of days. It was much easier to put the ducklings in a plastic container by themselves as the container needed to be completely cleaned each day. I also learned to put the food at one end hanging and the water at the other end. I tried various water containers and had most success with a small tray. I also learned to put 5-6 small tile squares spread out on the side with the food. This gave them an elevated place to get out of the water that soon covered the bottom of the container.