thinking about ducks, and i have a few questions. any tips?

[The WinterWolf]

hi, i am thinking about getting duckies. i plan to get 5 ducklings of whatever TSC has. generally little yellow ducklings.. what breed is that or is it impossible to tell? anyways, i was thinking about raising ducks, and i wanted to know if they needed a water bowl to swim in when their young, or anything not chicken-like. i understand they need different kinds of food than chickens, a kiddie pool (or bigger maybe), and i'm sure there's something i missed. is it ok to keep ducks and chickens together? is there something i need to know about their health?

i hear that their very very vocal. can i help that fact?

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Maybe hold off until you get your chicken coop straightened out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/so-my-run-stinks-literally.1502563/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/run-coop-along-a-sequel-to-my-other-thread.1502981/

 

[The WinterWolf]

Maybe hold off until you get your chicken coop straightened out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/so-my-run-stinks-literally.1502563/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/run-coop-along-a-sequel-to-my-other-thread.1502981/

i was thinking about getting ducks after everything. and i mean EVERYTHING is straightened out, but i would like advice now so i know what to do when i get there

 

[Banana01]

Do you have space for them to roam free?

I got my first ducks because my neighbors ducks liked coming to my property and never wanted to leave, so i ended up paying them just because i had more space, they also had water to bathe in, and food they could eat.

Water tubs are important and you have to change them everyday. I change their tubs every morning, mid day, and late afternoon, but minimum is once a day.

My ducks eat the same food i feed chickens. They get cracked corn, whole corn, and a corn and corn/soy based pellet, along with grass and scraps like rice and dog food.

Otherwise ducks are hardy and easier than chickens. I have raised about 25 not counting current eggs, and never had any disease or not even lost one duck, but my chickens are very disease prone and take extra care and still may die.

I have never had to build any special house or accomodations. They sleep outside my door sometimes in the front of the house.

My muscovy ducks are not vocal at all, just chatty sometimes amongst themselves. I have 8 adults now and they get along with all 40 adult chickens.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

i was thinking about getting ducks after everything. and i mean EVERYTHING is straightened out, but i would like advice now so i know what to do when i get there

Get this book. Read through the whole thing twice!

Read through the duck sticky: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ducks-sticky-topics-index.256233/

Lots and lots of research.

Also, ducks will be 100 times messier and stinkier than chickens.

 

[DickMidnight]

i was thinking about getting ducks after everything. and i mean EVERYTHING is straightened out, but i would like advice now so i know what to do when i get there

can you go back and update your run thread? you got a ton of advice and then kind of disappeared.

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

I housed my chickens and ducks together until they started refusing to come off the pond (about 9 months old). I lost almost every one to bobcats and coyotes. If you have a pond and no guardian dog, don't do it.

They housed together well (they also grew up together- the chickens and ducks)until winter when the moisture from the VERY wet duck poo (along with 2 weeks below 0) gave most of my chickens frost bite on their combs. It was during the day that there were issues. The ducks wouldn't allow the chickens into certain areas of the yard and we had one chicken who would chase the smallest duck until I had to intervene.

I wouldn't recommend getting them from tractor supply as you will end up with half males and half females and end up having to get more females (I've learned this from personal experience as well as experiences from family members).

Health problems I dealt with when they were babies included angel wing and Niacin deficiency. Be prepared to treat both. I treated both quickly and both were remedied quickly with no signs later on that there was ever an issue. The above mentioned family members didn't have issues with either one. Maybe it's just me

I gave them shallow pans to play in as babies but didn't give them the kiddie pool until they were mostly feathered (had to build a ramp to it and train them to go in it until they realized they loved it).

I loved having ducks and would recommend them but only if you have a good way to keep them safe (for me that would have been livestock guardian dogs - electric fence didn't work), if you have a good male/female ratio, and if you are able to keep a good eye on them to make sure they don't mate or terrorize your chickens.

 

[The WinterWolf]

can you go back and update your run thread? you got a ton of advice and then kind of disappeared.

i made a new one

 

[The WinterWolf]

Do you have space for them to roam free?

I got my first ducks because my neighbors ducks liked coming to my property and never wanted to leave, so i ended up paying them just because i had more space, they also had water to bathe in, and food they could eat.

Water tubs are important and you have to change them everyday. I change their tubs every morning, mid day, and late afternoon, but minimum is once a day.

My ducks eat the same food i feed chickens. They get cracked corn, whole corn, and a corn and corn/soy based pellet, along with grass and scraps like rice and dog food.

Otherwise ducks are hardy and easier than chickens. I have raised about 25 not counting current eggs, and never had any disease or not even lost one duck, but my chickens are very disease prone and take extra care and still may die.

I have never had to build any special house or accomodations. They sleep outside my door sometimes in the front of the house.

My muscovy ducks are not vocal at all, just chatty sometimes amongst themselves. I have 8 adults now and they get along with all 40 adult chickens.

i have 5 acres for them to roam

 

[Banana01]

i have 5 acres for them to roam

Thats plenty of land for them, even more than they need! They stay fairly close to the house, and i give them their own food and tubs but they also share with the chickens. What is your weathet like, i dont have harsh or freezing winters where i raise my ducks.