Thinking about getting ducks??

[Mattsiewrt94]

I was thinking about getting ducks but I just want some pointers or something before I get them I only want a couple like 4 or something I have a chicken coop they just free range all day and can go in and out the coop when they please so I was think my ducks could sleep in there to since they won't be locked in there all day right when they wake up they can go outside and I have no one around my house and I have hardly no predators that come up to our house. But if I were to get about 4 ducks what kind of pool would I need for them?

 

[decomposed]

If u already have chickens they might pick on the ducks. Every chicken, rooster and turkey i have had has been aggressive to my ducks, so it probably wouldn't be a good idea to put them in a coop together. For a pool me and a lot of people i know with ducks use a trough and the little kid pools. Never get an inflatable pool they will pop it in 2 seconds lol.

 

[JessyGii]

My chickens and ducks share a coop very nicely I have never once had a problem with them not getting along when I let them out to play the ducks play in the pools and the chickens scratch and peak on the other side of the yard, they share their food nicely and everything. one thing I did though that I think helped them all to get along is I made sure they all had enough space and a nesting box on the ground for the ducks. and for a pool go to your dollar store, or Walmart and get one of those extra large plastic kiddy pools for like 10 bucks it works great the ducks love it , its easy to clean out and easy to store in the winter time. although I would becarefull letting ducks free range in and out as they please they are slow and are easy pray for a hawk, fox , ect. and some ducks will fly away. my Rouen took off flying once and landed somewhere in the woods and it took hours to find her.

 

[Going Quackers]

People do, i am not one of those people's lol Ducks are water hogs, and massive mud puppies. Chickens like dry areas to dig, and clean water.

As well you must watch drakes(male ducks) with chicken hens, they are not compatible(anatomically speaking) so caution must be used. Now all this said, my standard hens free range, so do my ducks so they do intermingle but they do not live together.

As for pools? kiddy pools are good, troughs.. larger rubber livestock bowls. do watch for chickens drowning in larger bodies of water mine seem to ignore the ducks pools and such but i have heard of people have them drown.

Also make sure ducks have a place to get away from the chickens as they roost and ducks(most) stay on the ground, so they er.. get a bit pooped on lol I have roosting ducks so around here i can have a hen and a duck sitting on a fence lol but that is the exception.