Raising meat ducks with chickens

[EngeFamilyFarms]

Hi there, we will be raising 3 batches of 50 Cornish cross next spring/summer. Would I be able to raise say 5-10 Pekins for meat in the same tractor?

 

[Chirehe]

50 birds in one tractor?! How big is it? My 8 chickens got along fine with my 6 ducks until they came “of age” and we got rid of the pekin drakes. The 3 we kept (two hens and a drake) get along perfectly with my chickens in a 20’ x 60’ pen. The get more aggressive when their penned up at night in a 8’ x 12’ coop.

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

50 birds in one tractor?! How big is it? My 8 chickens got along fine with my 6 ducks until they came “of age” and we got rid of the pekin drakes. The 3 we kept (two hens and a drake) get along perfectly with my chickens in a 20’ x 60’ pen. The get more aggressive when their penned up at night in a 8’ x 12’ coop.

The Cornish cross don’t need any room to roam. Last year we did 30 in a 10ftx10ft tractor and had plenty of room

 

[aart]

The Cornish cross don’t need any room to roam. Last year we did 30 in a 10ftx10ft tractor and had plenty of room

Well, maybe....better if they can have room to move.
Poop build up could be an issue unless you have room to move tractor daily for 8 weeks.

At what age would you slaughter the ducks?
Ducks have juicier poops and need water deep enough to clean nares.

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

Well, maybe....better if they can have room to move.
Poop build up could be an issue unless you have room to move tractor daily for 8 weeks.

At what age would you slaughter the ducks?
Ducks have juicier poops and need water deep enough to clean nares.

We have a moveable tractor. I’d butcher ducks as soon as they have their feathers in 6-8 weeks

 

[Mosey2003]

Are you ordering the special meat Pekins? 6-8 weeks doesn't sound long enough for the regular pet type they sell in the stores, though I could be wrong. For those who don't know, the times for ducks are 7 weeks, 12.5 weeks, and 18 weeks.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I would say no for having them both in the same tractor. I had 2 drakes with 12 hens. Long story short, they were shortly removed as they were just too aggressive with the hens.