this might be a stupid question but...

[flyin-lowe]

How many chicks do you have? I have 16 and have a 5 gallon bucket feeder and have to fill it a couple times a week. If you only have a few hens then it might go a few weeks between refills. Also have you fed them anything else? If they have gone two weeks without anything to eat at all you would know that as well.

 

[FrannyLW]

How many chicks do you have? I have 16 and have a 5 gallon bucket feeder and have to fill it a couple times a week. If you only have a few hens then it might go a few weeks between refills. Also have you fed them anything else? If they have gone two weeks without anything to eat at all you would know that as well.

I have 6 chickens and 3 ducks. But besides that bucket I have other bowls with food and treats/scratchings and throw food around too.So I know they are not starving.

 

[MrsClark4Ever13]

To much niacin wouldn't be good for the chickens ..........

Personally I would house them separately.

I'm researching the niacin thing too but an responding to the comment about separating the ducks. We have 3 separate runs mostly dividing two sets of roosters and their "harems" and our racoon attack survivors. Our ducks stay with one of the groups of chickens. We've had more problems with the drakes fighting each other than conflicts between chickens and ducks. From my experience with our crew, they will sort of tell you what they need by their actions. Ours have even shared nests with our hens. Someone else may have had the opposite experience.
Good luck.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I'm researching the niacin thing too but an responding to the comment about separating the ducks. We have 3 separate runs mostly dividing two sets of roosters and their "harems" and our racoon attack survivors. Our ducks stay with one of the groups of chickens. We've had more problems with the drakes fighting each other than conflicts between chickens and ducks. From my experience with our crew, they will sort of tell you what they need by their actions. Ours have even shared nests with our hens. Someone else may have had the opposite experience.
Good luck.

I would separate for 2 reasons.
Reason one is the nutritional needs.
Reason two is that drakes have a penis and chicken hens are not meant to be bred that way. Drakes have been known to cause injury and death to chicken hens.

 

[MrsClark4Ever13]

I would separate for 2 reasons.
Reason one is the nutritional needs.
Reason two is that drakes have a penis and chicken hens are not meant to be bred that way. Drakes have been known to cause injury and death to chicken hens.

I have read that, and we have separated them at times but they otherwise stick closer together.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have read that, and we have separated them at times but they otherwise stick closer together.

If you don't have any male ducks they could live with the chickens.
Just still have the nutritional needs difference.

 

[MissChick@dee]

This is just me...if you’re not sure if they are eating spend a little time out there until you see/know that they all are eating. Best wishes

 

[Cryss]

You mention tossing some food and treats around an that you leave bowls filled with food and treats and scratchings. I think your problem here is they are filling up on goodies and not on feed. They should only have 10% or less of their intake from goodies. I usually don't give goodies until its about an hour or 2 before their bedtime. This way I know they've been eating their nutrients all day before getting dessert. And they don't get something every day. Others here can tell you how unhealthy they get if they don't eat their nutritional requirements.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

Ducks only need the extra Niacin when they are growing rapidly. Once they are adults they have the same nutritional requirements as chickens.

Also, an “All Flock” type feed has enough Niacin for growing ducks. That makes it easy to feed a mixed flock.

Oh and the somewhat higher Niacin won’t harm your chickens at all.

 

[FrannyLW]

You mention tossing some food and treats around an that you leave bowls filled with food and treats and scratchings. I think your problem here is they are filling up on goodies and not on feed. They should only have 10% or less of their intake from goodies. I usually don't give goodies until its about an hour or 2 before their bedtime. This way I know they've been eating their nutrients all day before getting dessert. And they don't get something every day. Others here can tell you how unhealthy they get if they don't eat their nutritional requirements.

Ok let me clarify what I do. I now I am sort of confusing. I have 1 large container as shown above filled with food. I bought that really in case it rains and the food doesn’t get wet. Meanwhile, every morning I take 2 food bowls that are in the run (dog bowls) and fill them each with 1-2 cups of feed and possibly a mix of mealworms and about 1/2 cup of scratchings and sunflower treats. I will also take 1/2 cup of scratchings and throw around the ground so they can....scratch! (And for just a bit keeps them away from the duck bowl so they have a chance to eat). Once/twice a week I throw around veggies. So what if I leave the bowls with just food and throw the scratching around they should be fine. They all look healthy!