raising ducklings and ONE chick

[Julielynn810]

Hi everyone! I just received my 4 welsh harlequin ducklings yesterday from Metzer Farms...but to my surprise, they included a baby chick as well.

1) Can I keep the chick with the ducklings in the brooder?
2) I've read that I'm supposed to supplement the ducklings with niacin, will this hurt the chick?
3) The duck house isn't designed to accommodate a chicken. So do I need to get a separate coop?
4) When they're older and can live outside, will a chicken be ok alone in a separate coop but shared run?

If there's another thread that addresses these concerns, please feel free to point me in that direction. I'm frantically googling "how to raise chickens" over here

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Some have raised chicks and ducks together, but ducklings are very messy and their environment will most likely be too wet for the chick. Ducklings can get warmer quicker and their heat requirements are not as stringent as chicks.
One other thing to consider the chick is most likely a male. As these surprise chicks are generally cockerels.
As they age, they will have different housing needs. Chickens need a roost.
If it happens to be a girl and you happen to get a drake in your duckling group, the drake once older can potentially mate the hen which would be detrimental to the chicken. That's an "if".
If it were me, I would have separate brooders and get a few more chicks so that the chicken can have chicken pals too. Or find an appropriate new home for your chick.

 

[chickens really]

I wonder why they sent a Chick too?
Definitely different species and care is different too.

 

[Abraeri]

Maybe you will get a chicken that thinks its a duck haha. Imagine a chicken swimming around in a pool with the ducks. I wonder why they would include a chick with ducklings... they're housing needs are so different. I don't know anything about chickens... but good luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Julielynn810 how are things going with the ducklings and chick?

 

[Julielynn810]

Hi everyone! Thanks for checking in! I was able to find someone to adopt the little guy/gal that has proper chicken housing and is able to keep a rooster if that ends up being the case. I'm a little sad to see the little one go tomorrow, but I think it's the right thing to do. In the meantime, I put a small cardboard box in the brooder and the chick loves to hang out up there

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Hi everyone! Thanks for checking in! I was able to find someone to adopt the little guy/gal that has proper chicken housing and is able to keep a rooster if that ends up being the case. I'm a little sad to see the little one go tomorrow, but I think it's the right thing to do. In the meantime, I put a small cardboard box in the brooder and the chick loves to hang out up there View attachment 1541482

Baby animals are always adorable! Good luck with your ducks and I'm sure the chick will do just fine in its new home. Very cute cardboard roost you made for it!

 

[Julielynn810]

Also, to address the que

Baby animals are always adorable! Good luck with your ducks and I'm sure the chick will do just fine in its new home. Very cute cardboard roost you made for it!

Thank you! Also, thank you so much for your detailed response the other day!

 

[Texag87]

I wonder why they sent a Chick too?
Definitely different species and care is different too.

I read that they send an expendable chick for extra warmth with small orders

 

[chickens really]

I read that they send an expendable chick for extra warmth with small orders

That's stupid...Why not the same species?