Can ducklings and chicks be raised together?

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

I am soon to get some more chickens after a predator killed two thirds of my flock,

and I think I may want to add ducks to the mix. I am aware of how ducks can swim and chickens can't, and I have heard that chick starter is not good for ducks due to some medications in it.

My question is: Will I be able to make a coop that chickens and ducks can live in, and what kind of food can they both eat? Also, can the ducks eat the same layer food as chickens when they get older?

Thanks for your help!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

My ducks and chickens live together, never had a problem. The ducks eat a mix of layer ration and whole grains just like the chickens. Ducklings and chicks can be raised together on the same food but you have to keep the bedding dry. The ducklings will splash and play in the water and get everything all wet.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Been there, done that. Ducks and chicks grow up together, and are just fine. My Rouens live with my layers and have very few problems.

Except the water. Ducks love water! Ducks splash and hog the water. I fill up the regular waterer, and put out a plastic panfull of water for the ducks to play in. If they don't have a "pond", the ducks will chase the chickens away from the waterer.

also have to watch my Drake. Being the only male in the coop, he sometimes gets a little hard on the chickens. I had to toss him outside in the snow for an hour to "cool down" the other day. After that, he was nice as could be.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
haha, I have to do with some thing with my rooster

 

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

Roos are so funny! So chickens and ducks can live together? That's nice to know, but I don't know how much I'll like dealing with the ducks making messes with water...

But hey, I have uncontrollable breeding rabbits, and chickens that will do anything BUT what they are supposed to do (they lay eggs in feeder, lay eggs off the roost, roll in the mud when it rains, etc. etc. etc.). so how much worse could splashing ducks be?

Oh yeah, and just wondering, how do duck eggs taste?

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Hillary and friend's eggs :

Roos are so funny! So chickens and ducks can live together? That's nice to know, but I don't know how much I'll like dealing with the ducks making messes with water...

But hey, I have uncontrollable breeding rabbits, and chickens that will do anything BUT what they are supposed to do (they lay eggs in feeder, lay eggs off the roost, roll in the mud when it rains, etc. etc. etc.). so how much worse could splashing ducks be?

Oh yeah, and just wondering, how do duck eggs taste?

I find the shell to be a little thicker on duck eggs but the taste is the same to me​

 

[jason_mazzy]

Duck eggs (especially from khakis!) are known for a richer more velvety texture and flavor. They are my favorite. They will also make much better cakes!!!!

 

[Kittymomma]

I agree with ChickieBooBoo, the shells and membrane are thicker and the eggs are bigger, but the taste is about the same. The yolk is much bigger too so they are great for baking! If you feed non-medicated feed they can all eat the same thing.

They are a lot messier though and if you're planning to have anywhere close to the same number of ducks as you do chickens I really believe that you'll be happier in the long run with them having seperate quarters. I never have more then four ducks in with about 25 chickens and they live together in relative harmony though I did have to rehome my Muscovy drake because he kept mating with the chicken hens and was causing real damage. I think that happens fairly often with drakes, but if you're only going to have duck hens in with your chickens you shouldn't have any problems, all mine get along really well and the ducks even hang out with the different sub-flocks with no problems.

Brooding ducklings and chicks together though is a different story. I won't do it again unless I only have one or two ducklings. Anymore then that and the brooder just gets too wet for the chicks unless you can clean it out several times a day and I don't have the time to do that. Integration with ducklings and chicks is super easy though, even if they aren't brooded together. There just doesn't seem to be the aggresion issues that come up with seperate batches of chickens and I have easily introduced 3-6 week old ducklings and chicks when they've moved from brooder to grow out pen without any problems at all.

 

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

Thanks you guys! You help a lot!

As for the amount of ducks, I think it may be about 2-4 ducks with 5-10 chickens.

 

[jason_mazzy]

chickens and ducks living in harmony

farm pics here! : http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii82/jason_mazzy/Farm Life/