New chicken and duck owner!

[anangrygoose]

Hello everyone,

My family and I are new chicken and duck parents. I'm looking to find all the best info I can as to how best raise these birds. I've been following this community for awhile and recently got my ladies and they're doing well so far. We have 15 chicks [(4 Blue Andalusian, 8 Rhode Island Red, 2 White Leghorn, and 1 Easter Egger (maybe? It was a free chick from McMurray)] and 10 ducks (2 Runners, 4 Gold Star Hybrid, 4 Pekin).

I have a lot of plans for them as to how to best raise them. I'm looking for any ideas/critiques/etc as for what I will end up doing. Is this the appropriate thread for that?

Any general advice as to the breeds would be nice regardless.

Thank you, we're very excited!

 

[Tookie]

Hello, and welcome to BYC! Nice to meet you, we're so glad you joined us.

You might want to take a look at the Learning Center!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/learning-center.11/

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!

Sure, if you want to post your plans, several of us would help you. The link @Tookie provided above has tons of helpful articles about raising chickens. We also have a Duck forum too.

 

[anangrygoose]

I'll definitely take a look. More info is always good to have.

Currently I'm building a 48x8 run for the chickens. I have a 6x12 coop already for them and the coop will lead directly into the run.

They are currently eating Purina mediated chick starter feed. They're in a 77 gal tote with TSC flake pine shavings as bedding. They seem to be doing well. Growing fast, feathers coming in well, active. They're the best!

For the ducks; I plan on letting them range through the yard more than the chickens. I want them to eat all the pests to keep them away from the kids. I have 2 coops with open flooring already. Not sure if I should combine them for the ducks or keep one as a bird hospital/quarantine area. They're currently eating nature's best duck starter feed since I wanted to make sure they were getting the niacin they needed. They are also in a 77 gal tote, though separate from the chicks

I'll be putting in two pond liners I have around for them and planting some good stuff around them. Any ideas on good things to plant around their ponds?

I plan on doing deep bedding in the coop with pine shavings. Same thing for the ducks and chickens, though I know I may have to clean the duck house more often.

I plan on keeping the ducks and chickens relatively separated, considering the different needs they have and how wet the ducks get vs what the chickens need.

Does this all seem to be on the right path for everything? I'll probably be switching them all to organic feed from Premier1 when they get a bit older.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to BYC. This is a great place to explore and hang out.

 

[Debbie292d]

I'll definitely take a look. More info is always good to have.

Currently I'm building a 48x8 run for the chickens. I have a 6x12 coop already for them and the coop will lead directly into the run.

They are currently eating Purina mediated chick starter feed. They're in a 77 gal tote with TSC flake pine shavings as bedding. They seem to be doing well. Growing fast, feathers coming in well, active. They're the best!

For the ducks; I plan on letting them range through the yard more than the chickens. I want them to eat all the pests to keep them away from the kids. I have 2 coops with open flooring already. Not sure if I should combine them for the ducks or keep one as a bird hospital/quarantine area. They're currently eating nature's best duck starter feed since I wanted to make sure they were getting the niacin they needed. They are also in a 77 gal tote, though separate from the chicks

I'll be putting in two pond liners I have around for them and planting some good stuff around them. Any ideas on good things to plant around their ponds?

I plan on doing deep bedding in the coop with pine shavings. Same thing for the ducks and chickens, though I know I may have to clean the duck house more often.

I plan on keeping the ducks and chickens relatively separated, considering the different needs they have and how wet the ducks get vs what the chickens need.

Does this all seem to be on the right path for everything? I'll probably be switching them all to organic feed from Premier1 when they get a bit older.

I can't speak for the ducks, but for the chicks, they need to stay on their chick crumbles until they lay eggs. You could switch them off medicated after the bag is gone or a couple of weeks of that, then put them on regular chick crumbles. If the weather is nice, introduce them to the outdoors a few hours at a time and that would strengthen their resistance to coccidiosis.

 

[anangrygoose]

I can't speak for the ducks, but for the chicks, they need to stay on their chick crumbles until they lay eggs. You could switch them off medicated after the bag is gone or a couple of weeks of that, then put them on regular chick crumbles. If the weather is nice, introduce them to the outdoors a few hours at a time and that would strengthen their resistance to coccidiosis.

Thanks!

We are already letting them out everyday since its warm enough here for them. They LOVE it!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hi, and welcome to BYC! It's so nice to meet you! Please make yourself at home!

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to Backyard Chickens. Glad that you have joined this fun and poultry loving community.

 

[Jenbirdee]

hello and welcome! Even with a starter Feed made especially for ducks ,You should still add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast per cup of feed for the extra niacin. at least the first two months .most of us duck parents on here continue to supplement additional niacin after that but less often .