We will be getting chickens this summer but I also want some ducks.

[Augustus]

I'm thinking 6 pullets and 2 ducks. But at the store where I work, the ducks are not marked ducks and drakes. They are all in one tank. I want ducks, not drakes.

 

[PirateGirl]

So you need at least 32 square feet of coop space plus another 80 square feet of run space. You should have a poop board or something under the chickens' roost space so that the ducks don't get pooped on when they sleep on the floor. The door and the ramp should be designed with ducks in mind and the chickens will do fine with it. The food and water containers should be selected with ducks in mind and the chickens should do fine with them. In the run I would provide the chickens with a roost as well so that they have a spot where they can get away from the ducks if they want.

If you want sexed ducklings you will either need to order direct from a hatchery or find a store that sells them that way as there is not an easy way to sex them at such a young age. That or you can find a farm and buy adult ducks, which may be the way to go, especially if you don't care if they are in their laying prime.

 

[Pekin747]

I know that they have to be brooded differently until the chicks are almost as big as the ducks. I will either be building a coop or buying one. Probably building though. My question is do ducks have to have something to swim in? I would like to put a baby pool in there for them to swim in but I don't know if the chickens will try to swim and drown or not. We are wanting chickens for eggs, what breed would yall recommend having the most eggs. I am looking at Sex-links and Sussex are they good egg layers? I also need a breed to lay white eggs, for some reason my dad won't eat the brown ones.

I was raise baby ducks and chicks together if I have both that hatch together then separat them at 1 week if u have a warm climate
Ducks can come of heat at around 4 days and I usually get a small container bout 3 cm deep and 10 cm wide so it gets them used to ponds if ur going to let them have one when they r older if not I qouldnt bother giving them this option and taking it away later on
I also dont advise getting large ducks if ur mixing them like muscovy ect get something like khaki Campbell they are fantastic layers and quite friendly and love a dip in the pools but tbh they dont need a pond just something they can dip there heads in

For the hens if u want a really good white egg lay leghorns are the road to take I have some leghorns that r 8 year and laying ever 2nd day
Sussex are also a good choice of bird they will lay lots of eggs and in the past they have clocked for me and a few other people I know
I'd go to a private seller tho as if u get them from a hatchery they might not be as good of quality obviously this will depend on what hatchery u get them off
If u are also going just for eggs and have no intention of going down the breeding end of things and u have a well protected enclosure I'd say away from males but if they r free ranging then I'd get a Male