New Build Ducks or Chickens Im in over my head.lol

[Evolvingspirit]

I'm located in Nothern California. Temps here go down below 32 only a few days a year. Gets hot in summer. Many days in 90's, about 7-10 days over 100. Fenced in run with hog panels to ground,, and chicken wire. No apron. 5 x 10 dog kennel with apron and hardware cloth. See photo. Chicken poop and hay next to kennel. Outside run apox 50 by 40 or so.. Predator heavy area.

I have 10 ducks including 3 Drakes

2 drake pekin duck (1 aggressive) in separate red cage in photo
3 baby pekins 3 weeks old in garzge
1 drake and 4 ladies west coast harlequin. Regular size

Chickens 15 incl. 3 males

8 polish hens
1 pair Norwegian-jaerhon in dog kennel male rules the flock.
1 male iceberg docile in cage
1 rare male Swedish Flower in cage. Aggressive
3 baby hens 3 weeks old normal breed forgot name. Lol in garage

I would like to add 6 to 9 pekins for meat.

My chickens made it though the winter but many nights mid 30's.

I plan to build a 8 x 10 and 8 ft high new housing. Should it be for the ducks alone?
If so do I have to separate the babies till they can fly?

If for chickens Should I make it partially wood from the ground till 4 ft or so to block wind and rain?

2x3 wood roost bars 3 and 4 ft up? 2 of them?

Thinking of deep litter method. If so no hardware cloth on ground, and just 2x4 welded wire 24 inches out for apron?

Will hay and poop compost next to kennel attract snakes? Do I need to move it.
Is a small kiddie pool adequate for all the ducks?
I chnage the water every 3 days. We are In severe drought.

Been with chickens and ducks for a few months now and I want to do this correctly.
All input so much appreciated.
Blessings
Stewart

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have Pekins - see signature for my current flock, below. They don't fly. My first coop was 8x12, raised floor design, set as a "U" with a human height door in the opening, so I can walk in. The ducks stay below, the chickens up top. Floor about 3' off the ground, so I can roll a wheelbarrow in. Bottom is open (metal cloth) on three sides, ducks don't seem to mind, helps with ventilating the whole structure.

Deep litter means nothing on the ground, just bare dirt. If you go "two story" you can use deep bedding for the chickens up top, then as it partially breaks down, rake it to the ground below to finish up as deep litter. On hot days, the chickens will join the ducks, so it does get turned over pretty well.

I've never found that it attrascted snakes or rodents, but if it did, my chickens would attack and eat them.

Arguably, a pool isn't needed for ducks at all. I do use a kiddie pool, plus an actual (tiny) pond. The kiddie pool is filled by rainwater off the roof of one of my coops. But we get more rain than you. It will look terrible, almost instantly, but you don't need to change the water as often as you suggest. Weekly should be fine.

Yes, hardware cloth around the run to deter digging predators.

In my second coop, I use 2x4s on edge for 8 and 10' spans, less deflection - but I have more chickens.

My roost bars aren't that high, relative to the floor - there are some concerns about bumblefoot and other foot injuries from hopping down from high roosts. I placed (in my second coop) three 2x4s, each about 4" higher than the next, spaced about 14-16" apart, and the same off the wall in a 4x10 section of that coop - its enough space for 24 chickens at different levels of flock dominance, needed nothing but some screws and four 2x4x10s. Think of it as a wide/shallow ladder, rather than a narrow/tall ladder

 

[Evolvingspirit]

Thank you so much. My daughter is freaking out! We lost Igor a 3 week old duck in the garage. There was no food for 2 days. The other 3 pekins and 3 chickens were fine. Did he starve or die from another cause?

If I am going to raise separate pekings for meat, do I need to house them separately so they can eat 20% protein and grow fast. Confused

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thank you so much. My daughter is freaking out! We lost Igor a 3 week old duck in the garage. There was no food for 2 days. The other 3 pekins and 3 chickens were fine. Did he starve or die from another cause?

If I am going to raise separate pekings for meat, do I need to house them separately so they can eat 20% protein and grow fast. Confused

I can't answer why Igor died - what I don't know about poultry illness and injury would fill books, and does.

I usually recommend that the typical backyard owner, of the typical backyard flock, with typical backyard management practices feed an All Flock/Flock Raiser type crumble to all their birds, all their lives, with free choice grit, osyter shell, and fresh clean water available in seperate dishes.

All of my adult birds - chickens and ducks - get exactly the same feed, which happens to be 20% protein. I feed my youngsters a higher protein mix for their first 6-8 weeks (basically, until they join the adult flock) as I have facilites to separate the flocks. My reasons for that are complicated, its not something I recommend for everyone. But All Flock, all the time, for all the birds of all the genders is a safe and easy way to raise chickens, ducks, geese. Doing something different has limited benefit and should only be considered after weighing all the options.

I can't speak to the needs of quail or turkey, I've not really looked into those.