Topic of the week - Keeping different poultry types together

[gary bamford]

A nother pen

 

[gary bamford]

bigger pen

 

[KoopOnTruckin]

I only have ducks (1 drake and 1 duck) and chickens (all hens) together. They get along well, except the drake acts like he's in charge and also likes to "assert his dominance" on a few of the hens that he was raised with. The ducks have a small stock tank that they use as a pond and waterer. It gets pretty dirty quickly, so I have a pump in it that circulates the water but not as effectively as hoped. The chickens perch up on the edge of the tank and drink from the tank. When the drake chases the few hens around the yard and into the coop, the hens jump up on their perches to get away from him.

I'm raising a few more ducks from eggs in the hopes that he will have more proper targets to go after and leave the hens alone. The trade-off will be more of a mess caused by more ducks, but they have a half-acre they can free-range in for the entire day, which helps to thin out the mess.

 

[arrowti]

Our chickens and ducks are in the same enclosure but it's large and there's only fighting between the nasty rhode island reds we made the mistake of buying and the rest of the flock. Everyone else gets along.

Our turkeys are kept separately. Chickens and ducks have a separate house at night of course.

The ducks get a layer pellet, the chickens get a layer crumble... the turkeys get a different feed altogether.

 

[swampwench]

My kids all get along no problem. That includes about 25 chickens, a goose, 2 guineas, 2 Pekin ducks, 6 rescued cats, and a bunch of free-loading Muscovy ducks.

 

[mamatink7]

We have a variety of breeds as well.
20 wks are black austrolorps, golden comets, easter Eggers, buff orpingtons & our only roo being a black copper marans
I have a feather fixer feed with separate container with oyster shell & Omega 3 for the layers. Can't do altogether due to Roo.
17wk golden comet, buff orpingtons and silver laced wyandotte
They are now on layer feed which will transition to feather fixer when I put them together--they all hate each other now.
Not sure who is best with whom yet. GC & BO seem to be most friendly so far. EE like to be with BCM or together.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have kept muscovy ducks with chickens for years. The only problem I have is the ducks are messy. They keep the ground around the water buckets chronically wet and they need to be dumped daily because of the food particles the ducks add while eating and drinking. I can't use heated water buckets or bowls either because of it. I have enjoyed the ducks but they will be my last so that I can finally have a dry shed and that I can use heated buckets in the winter to lighten my work load.

I also keep turkeys, and I definitely recommend not keeping them with other species. I have had turkeys kill a rooster and they will harass and chase the chickens when the mood hits them. They are a great species, but can be bullies and thugs. I'm always glad that I can lock them back in their large run when they start acting up.

 

[EMorical]

My kids all get along no problem. That includes about 25 chickens, a goose, 2 guineas, 2 Pekin ducks, 6 rescued cats, and a bunch of free-loading Muscovy ducks.

---- "My kids...." Great!!!

 

[MayhemMarr]

I am just starting out and think this is an awesome thread, I have chickens and ducks they seem to get along good they sleep separately except for my one white leghorn lady she sleeps in the main part of the barn where the ducks are, I also have goats in the barn but they have their own stalls and so far it works good for us we have limited space and funds

 

[BrandoMan]

I had my chickens with my duck, until my Drake decided to try a rape my hen. Then he went into a pen by him self.