Should i get ducks??

[shamrockfarms459]

can i do ducks with chickens? my coop is 10 by 13 and i have ten chickens what breed, would it work??

 

[ShamrockFarmsGlaspey]

He is thinking about giving 4 chickens to the neighbor to make room.

 

[FrostRanger]

It's possible but not ideal to have ducks and chickens in the same setup. For one, ducks add a lot of moisture which bad for chickens especially in winter. Also they might not end up getting along with each other. If you do end up getting ducks only get hens, if a drake tries to mate with a chicken hen he'll likely kill her

 

[Jenbirdee]

I started out with all ducks and then my son gave me a few chickens, and I had them all together for a while because I did not have any drakes at that time. But now I have my chickens separate because they did not get along with the Ducks.

 

[gullinkambe]

Depending on how cold and long your winters are, I'd advise separating them in different coops in winter. Ducks are horribly messy with water, and their poops are wet.

I have mine together in summer when they don't use the house much. They free-range during the day, and often sleep outside in the enclosed pen at night. I've never had any duck-chicken problems, but they aren't bosom friends, they mostly just ignore each other. I have Muscovies, it might be different with other ducks.

 

[Callender Girl]

First off, an answer to your question: Yes, everybody should have ducks!!

But seriously, I already had chickens when I got my first runner ducks. I have never had a problem with the drakes wanting to breed with chickens (they're too busy romancing their own girls). Also, runners are on the small side. Most of my chickens are not and may just intimidate their would-be suitors.

However, I house them separately. Ducks are incredibly messy; their love of water means spills everywhere and their droppings can be overwhelming. It's too much moisture for chickens.

Good news: Because moisture levels aren't as troublesome for ducks, their housing can be more simple. Mine spend their nights in what is essentially a giant wooden-framed, rectangular box (3 foot by 10 foot) wrapped in hardware cloth. It's elevated about a foot off the ground to allow excess water to drain out. Half the floor is covered with a fake grass rug (that's regularly replaced because it's easier than cleaning it!); the other half with vinyl flooring that has drainage holes punched into it.

For shelter, the top is covered in plywood, and in the winter, I hang laminated wood panels across the sides and one end. Winters here are often brutal, and chickens would likely die in this set-up. But the ducks do fine. My goofballs often leave their housing and lie in the snow, even during raging storms!