Questions for a smart duck person.

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I was told I can't get ducks BUT if I were to talk him into it how are they housed? Same as chickens? Do they have to stay warm in the winter, do they have to have an insulated coop? Will they wander off or can I leave them out to free range? And do they get along with chickens? How often do they lay and what are the best laying ducks? What is the sq footage per duck inside a coop?

 

[Camelot Farms]

I can answer some

My ducks and chickens eat, sleep and live together in total harmony.
The best laying duck in my opinion is the Khaki Campbell.

 

[melodylee]

as far as wandering goes mine are better not to than the chickens my ducks stay in a close herd all the time, they were all raised together though.

 

[froggie71]

our ducks do not like to go far from the coop. They do not need a pond, but they need to have water at all times so they can at least get their bills cleaned out. This makes them a bit messy. ( We have 17 ducks)We have kiddie pools outside of the house/run for them to swim in. We don't house them with our other birds. Our duck house and run is well ventilated and they have access to the run 24/7. The do great in the winter. Though our ducks aren't too fond of the snow, we will find them laying in the snow and eating the snow. We have khaki campbells, blue swedish and indian runners as well as mixes. The are all great layers. Of the 12 ducks (5 are drakes) we have been getting 11 eggs/day over the past few days. Also, none of these ducks fly or can get off the ground very high anyway. Our ducks, chickens and guineas all free-range together, and usually don't bother each other.

 

[Amiga]

Ducks need to be protected from predators, so they need a safe place to go. In your part of the world, I would prefer to have some insulation for their shelter, and at the same time, some folks say that they have a hard time getting the ducks to come inside in the winter. My main reason for a secure shelter is raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, and so forth.

They don't need a roost (perhaps muscovies like roosts, but none of the other breeds to my knowledge use them). Often they don't want nesting boxes (there's always the exception).

Best to give them duck feed, but you can get away with nonmedicated chick feed at first (if you want to delve into details, I am told that amprolium is not a problem, but I am avoiding it, since ducklings are not prone to as many diseases as chicks, if I understand correctly.

About three square feet per duck in their coop is recommended. I don't know the lay of your area - free ranging may be fine, but if you get half grown or adult ducks, they need to be kept penned in near home base for at least a couple of weeks or they may wander off.

 

[purr]

My ducks eat sleep and free range with the chickens.They eat the same grain as the chickens.I agree they should be in at night my cousin/neighbor right next door in the next house over lost all of his ducks to raccoons.While mine were safe warm and dry in the coop with the chickens.I have Rouen/Pekin mixes 2 males 3 females. one of the males and one of the females were hatched out last year by the older 2 females. I get 3 eggs a day without fail.
I live in front of a cedar swamp and when the water level is high they go down there to swim,Unfortunately they have decided my goldfish pond belongs to them also.And I have a kiddie pool for them.They are too bottom heavy to fly very high but the female's get to about shoulder height on me, but i'm only 5' 1". They don't wander far but my yard is fenced in.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Ive raised ducks for 6 year's.The breeder's I kept shared a large horsestall with some chickens.I Have 2 sep pens in there for diff size ducks.Most of the chicken's that did take up residence in there either roosted along the wall's or in the rafter's, free range ducks that are allowed daytime out do good if you keep them penned for a while if duckling's and will usualy go back to their sleeping/ feeding area at night.You can put a small kiddie pool if they dont have water access.If you live in "surburbia" with neighbor dogs the like you might want to make sure you have them penned at night.Same hold's true even more if you live in an area with fox/ coyote etc.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I've raised over 100 species of migratory waterfowl for many many years, lost count.
I agree with most all that has been said.
Ducks can handle the worst winters with no problem what so ever, just watch water and their feet is the main problem there.
They are fine with or without out a shelter, most will sit right out in the rain or snow anyway unless you lock them up, they love it actually.
There are various degrees of layers, if you take the eggs daily, most all domestics will lay from about now til November or so, some lay the whole year. Call, cayugas, and runners are some of the best in my oppinion for pets, they are friendly, get along with everything (though I dont advise mixing them with other types of birds for disease purposes) they can be free ranged, (I wouldnt so much on the calls, they can fly well) Water is a must for them as said for bill cleaning, not needed for breeding or anything, but they do love it of course if it's possible, give them at least a kiddie pool to get in. They will eat about anything you give them, though a good layer diet is best, any form of greens is always appreciated.

 

[GrannySue]

The only reason I house my ducks in a separate building is because they sat under the roosting chickens and got pooped on.
They all free range together and only interact when my older drake tries to mate with the 2 Australorps.
(No, not 2 at once but I'm sure he would if he could figure out how.

)

I have 5 runner ducks and have been getting 5 eggs a day.
I live in a fairly temperate climate, maybe 1 big snowfall a year, but all the birds go out in the snow.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Loads of info

Thanks all. When do ducks start laying? Oh and do the drakes get nasty like roosters with small kids? I have a 5 yr old.