so do they really smell that badly??/living near chickens?

[lisamarie]

hi all,

just trying to figure out where to keep my ducks. we have a bunch of land, but the area around my house is fenced so i am thinking i should keep our ducks there at least initially, after brooder stage of course, until they are bigger. wondering if this is too close, though, based on some of the comments i have read about their smell!?

i do have 30 chickens who are free ranging but i keep reading that i should not put the ducks and chickens together? could i keep them in the same area of the property but just have a different pen for the ducks?

thanks,
lisa

 

[Bleenie]

I keep my ducks and chickens penned together, and as most people know Muscovies can get pretty big. They all do fine together, only time ive ever had a problem is with the muscovy drakes, but since they pulled Angus' tail they have been fine, lol.

 

[Penturner]

As far as I am concerned they do. We have Ducks and Geese in all of our city parks. they poop all over everything and make it actually impossible to walk without stepping in it. and this will happen in a 24 hour period of time. I asked my wife how she would describe the smell and she said "Nasty". I have at times had babies come up and get right in my lap when i had food like french fries. the odor is very very strong and I have a pretty high tolerance to bad smelling stuff. these guys are overwhelming. I think Ducks live on water for a reason. a non stop bath is the only way they can tolerate themselves.

 

[Wifezilla]

Ducks and geese only stink when they are OVERCROWDED and NOT PROPERLY CARED FOR.

That describes park ducks and geese perfectly.

You stick 10 cats or 5 large dogs in a small house and your house is going to stink too.

DON'T OVERCROWD your animals and have a good waste management plan and you will not have a nasty smell to worry about.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Ducks are only stinky if you dont free range them, dont keep their water clean, and dont change their bedding regularly. Grain makes ducks uber stinky.

Peking ducks are smelly NO MATTER WHAT. Theyre just sloppy and messy.

I wouldnt HOUSE ducks and chickens together, but you can let them live together. Ducks make a mess of their houses, chickens are like little clean freaks compared to ducks. Better to clean a duck house than a big ol chicken coop all the time.

We had a few ducks with our 12 chickens on our little tiny 80x100 village lot (most of which is house and barn) and they had their own little tractor for sleeping in, but were otherwise out with the chickens. Their diets are slightly different, so grazing them together is beneficial for all!

 

[andalusn]

Add water to anything and you usually get a mess

Ducks and water go together. Growing up our ducks and chickens ranged together but at night were apart. As with any animals/livestock it just comes down to the fact they have to be managed and cleaned up after. If you have the space use it to your advantage but all animals require cleaning up after. They are happy, your happy and your neighbors are happy

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Ducks, like others have said, are only stinky if they haven't been cleaned regularly (LOL something I'm doing right now, well... avoiding at this time, I started I swear! They've not been cleaned all winter since they're on pellets but I've been a little slack recently in turning the pellets so its not stinky, so now I'm doing a total muck out).

If you don't clean their water/bathing area, they get real stinky real fast.


We use a big plastic rubbermaid stock tank with a drain in the bottom for a bathing area, it cost like $200 but it is so worth it. It's getting set into a deck this summer so they can sunbathe and preen.

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Quote:
Well said.

As long as they aren't overcrowded they will be fine! Are you talking about the smell on them or the poop smell? Ducks don't really smell all that bad, you just have to manage them properly. I have 9 ducks, they are great pets and funny to watch.

 

[Willowbrook]

Ducks and geese only stink when they are OVERCROWDED and NOT PROPERLY CARED FOR.

That describes park ducks and geese perfectly.

You stick 10 cats or 5 large dogs in a small house and your house is going to stink too.

DON'T OVERCROWD your animals and have a good waste management plan and you will not have a nasty smell to worry about.

Pearls of wisdom! Nothing stinks if it is cared for properly and in a timely manner. Filth begets filth.​

 

[Wifezilla]

The nastiest stench I ever had to deal with in my neighborhood was a poor dog that was left locked in a pen 24/7 and never cared for. We would fill up the dog's bowl because the idiot owner would ignore it for days. They finally got the dog a new home and then moved.

My ducks only stink if I am standing right next to one of them when they let one fly

..but that is what that big bag of bedding I keep handy is for