raising a duckling with chicks

[yomama]

I was wondering what the take was on raising a duckling with chicks, in a brooder. From what I read, it looks as though ducklings don't need it quite as warm as the chicks do. If I have a large enough brooder, where there is plenty of room away from the heat, would it be ok? Also, can they be on the same starter feed? I plan on getting one duckling and about 3 to 4 chicks. They will all be about the same age, as I plan on getting them all at the same time, probably from the feed store. I have found sites that will allow me to order a minimum of 5 chicks, but nowhere that will allow me to order only one duckling. Also, do I need to worry about any diseases they could pass to each other? And last but not lease, would it be best to get a male duck or a female duck, if they were to be raised with chickens? Any advice would be helful!

Thanks!

 

[Mahonri]

I've seen them raised together before, but duckie poop is a tad more messy than chick poop. And ducks destroy a backyard quicker than chickens... for what it's worth.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Ducklings can be raised with chicks, but I wouldn't recommend it. The ducklings will splash the water everywhere and make a huge mess out of the bedding. I would recommend getting one more, as they will be happier as a pair. My ducks stick with each other like glue and couldn't care less about the chickens.

After about 2 weeks, the ducks will need more protein than the chicks. So you may want to feed them separately with a game bird starter.

Edited to add:
A male or female would be great as pets. The males are a bit quieter, but females lay eggs!

 

[crazybarnlady]

Ducklings can eat chick starter, but it must be NON-MEDICATED. From personal experience, I would reccommend getting a girl duck (or better yet two ducklings) as a male duck will start mating the chickens when he matures sexually (at 4-5 months).

He will squash the poor girls!! Ducks are sooo cute, and two really isn't any more work than one- they will be so much happier with a friend of their own species. WARNING: ducks are highly addictive!

 

[MuranoFarms]

Be careful they don't get too much protein. I believe they need more niacin too. Other then that, yeah...they are LOTS messier!

 

[yomama]

I know, they are very messy. I had a pair of Cayugas a few years back and I remember thinking " OMG, I am never doing this again!" Of course, I lived in the city then, and my space was limited. So here I am, missing their cuteness and their joker laughs! I was hoping that by just getting one, the mess would be decreased, somewhat. If I were to end up with a drake, wouldn't my rooster protect my hens from his "advances"?, or is that just wishful thinking?

 

[janastasio]

I think it will be more work but very do-able! You will need to change bedding more often because a duckling is going to splash and play in the water constantly! Also agree that one more really isnt going to make a difference so that it will have a companion of its own type. I have raised a single chick with ducklings. I was house sitting for a friend and their chickens hatched out a lone baby. Mom hen was no where around and the family didnt want the chick, so it came home with me. At the time I had ducklings. The chicken still acts like a duck to this day! It lays its eggs on the ground, does not roost at night, and still hangs out with her ducky companions all over the coop and yard that she grew up with! Its too funny!

 

[crazybarnlady]

Another option is to get smaller ducks, like call ducks. They are toooooooo cute!

Big ducks mean bigger mess. My Pekins are PIGS compared to my runners and campbells!

 

[kslish]

Is it harmful for the ducklings to have the medicated? Why the non medicated?

 

[Amiga]

I have read that if the medication is amprolium, it should not hurt ducklings, but some are still not inclined to give the ducklings medicated feed if it is not needed.

I believe the concern is that ducklings consume quite a bit more food than chicks and so they ingest much more of the medication than the chicks do per day.

Seems to me if there is non-medicated food available, I would rather not give ducklings unnecessary medication.

Also, remember (if it hash't been mentioned), ducklings need about three times the niacin that chicks do.