New to keeping ducks

[deserthomestead]

Yesterday on my way home DH and I passed a sign advertising free ducks, so we swung by and picked up 8 of them. 6 of them are 3 day old ducklings, and the other two we think are about 8 weeks old. As far as I can tell, they're mallards:




Can they and the chickens live together, or should I build a separate run? I'm planning on burying an old bathtub as a more permanent water source - is that enough water for them?
Oh, and will they fly away? So far they haven't tried flying, but the older ones are still adolescents.

Right now the ducklings are in an indoor brooder and the adolescents are in the kids' fenced yard, so they're safe and happy, I just don't know much about what their best possible environment is.

 

[Naunnie]

Congratulations! The older 2 look a lot like 2 Rouens aka Domestic Mallards, I just adopted. If that's what they are, they can't fly. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/777392/rouen-duck-thread.

They can live with the chickens if they are slowly introduced. A temporary fence separating them is recommended. I would build them their own predator proof run. Ducks are quite messy and need a lot of water. A ducks diet is also a little different than chickens. They should not eat medicated feed.

This is a great thread about duck pools. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/320654/duck-pond-pool-pictures. If you house them with the chickens, you will need to have something in the pool to help a chicken get out, if it accidentally falls in. The pool gets nasty really quickly, so you will want to find an easy way to drain it.

Also, since ducks sleep on the ground and usually up against the fence, it is best to lock them in a predator proof duck house at night.

Ducks are so much fun! I printed this thread to have it handy. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

 

[Miss Lydia]

Rouen s have 2 eye stripes Mallards 1