Thinking about getting some ducks- a few questions.

[eggsrcool]

I've decided I would like to expand onto ducks. A few questions.

1) Feeding requirements? How about chicken food- layers pellets, corn, cracked corn, peas etc..

2) Can they live with chickens? Do they need a separate pen and house? Im not planning on breeding them, so there will be no drake, and the duck eggs wont be incubated, so I wont get chucks or duckens.

3) Any breed for beginners? I was thinking of khaki campbell? Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[rainplace]

You can feed them like chickens for the most part. Cracked corn should be used as a treat only though, maybe a little extra in the winter if you like for the extra energy.

These forums are pretty divided about housing them with chickens. Some say they do it easily, others say no way they would do it again..

Khaki campbell sounds great!

 

[Luna_Chick66]

Thanks for asking because I want to know about ducks, too.

 

[bufforp89]

This is my first year with khaki campbells and ducks in general. I think that they are great ducks. I get an egg a day from all my females almost all the time. They are not as friendly as I hoped they would be though. I have had them since day olds and despite handling they are jumpy and tend to stay away from me. They are not a pet type duck in my opinion.

I house my ducks seperate from my chickens. I have not had any bad experiences or anything but I have heard stories where they fight so I decided to just be safe. They are with the chickens free ranging in my yard but they keep to themselves.

I feed my ducks what I feed my chickens. Layer pellets, minimal cracked corn and garden waste/grass clippings.

 

[TK Poultry]

ducks are amazing my first ducks were anconas and love them i feed mine chicken layer with my chickens and nothing wrong and i have housed ducks and chickens with minimum problems i would say if you want to go for it but duck pens are usually muddy and chickens dont like muddy pens so i try to keep mine as seperate as possible..... as far as breeds i would get a few of whats avalible and you will become partial to one and then run with that one that is how i landed on swedes!!! i would highly recommend swedish ducks

 

[eggsrcool]

Thank you very much everyone for your answers! Do ducks roost? I have a feeling they dont.

 

[crazy cat lady]

No, ducks don't roost. Mine go into a corner of the coop and sleep there. I have my ducks in with my chickens and my rabbits (the rabbits are in cages up off the floor).

 

[TK Poultry]

mine sleep in a pile!

 

[cluckers&quackers]

I mainly have mixed breed ducks so I can't offer any suggestions as to which ones to raise.

Last year my husband brought home a couple of calves from the farm he works on, this was a last minute decision and caused a space issue. In order to turn my chicken coop into a temporary winter shelter for the calves I put my chickens in with my ducks.

I had boxes on the floor for the ducks, and put a roost up for the chickens, and put boxes up on the wall for the chickens as that was what they were used to in their coop. I feed the chickens and ducks the layer pellets, veggies etc. Housing them together worked well for me.
I am in Vermont and the winters are very cold, so I think it helped to keep everyone warmer also.

Everyone has different experiences, and likes/dislikes about housing together. I think a lot of it depends on each others flocks and how they seem to coincide together.

Good luck with whatever you try

 

[nivtup]

Khakis are great egg layers.

We feed them an all purpose poultry feed, and some scratch occasionally. Ours free range, so grass and whatever else they can find supplements.

Our Khakis are skittish too. They know where the feed comes from, so they will come close, however they are always nervous.