Will a drake hurt my chickens?

[wordgirl]

I am really hoping to be able to get a couple of ducks this summer, and I may be keeping them in the same coop. As you can't get sexed ducklings (at least where I'm getting them), I may end up with one or more drakes. Will a drake hurt my (hen) chickens - at least, any more than a rooster would?

Thanks for your help!

 

[jason_mazzy]

Depends on how much space, and how many ducks. My peking just became dinner last month after he started ripping hens feathers out.

 

[wordgirl]

Quote:
Well, they will be able to free-range in the summer, and in the winter if they are willing to. The coop itself is about a hundred sq. ft, and I'm probably going to get about 24-30 chickens and maybe 2-4 ducks.

 

[DancingHen]

The standard spacing for chicken housing is 4 square feet per bird inside the coop, plus 10 square feet of outdoor space or access to free range. 100 square foot house would comfortably accomadate 25 chickens. Are you able to increase the housing size if you have 30 chickens plus ducks? I think also that whether ducks and chickens get along depends on the individual birds you end up with, and your luck will be better if they are introduced young. Good luck.

 

[duckyfromoz]

A drake can injure a hen if he tries to mate with her. Drakes have different anatomy to roosters- which can damage the internal reproductive tract.