Black Indian Runner Ducklings

[winterwolf4]

Hi I wanted to introduce myself to the duck community. I got 4 Indian Runner ducks from the store a few weeks ago. They like to sit in our little kiddie swimming pool in the morning and then we bring them back to the brooder. Is there anything I should know in particular about ducks? I have +20 chickens normally and they will be kept with the chickens after they get older. We feed all flock with oyster shell on the side.

 

[igorsMistress]

Ducks are so much fun. They are often wet so will add humidity to your coop; I recommend separate housing with even more ventilation than you have for your chickens. Don’t forget some grit for them. If they cohabitate with the chickens, they will use every water source and it will get muddy. One gallon buckets make great waterers for ducks when they’re full grown, they’ll dunk their heads to wash. Duck waterers get stinky sometimes, so have a few and use white vinegar to clean them once a week if that happens, and don’t use a lid on them. Keep food separated from water by half a dozen steps or so, it’ll help keep the feed drier. Keeping the ducks separated but in sight of the chickens now will help everyone become accustomed to each other just like introducing new chickens to the flock. Have fun!

 

[KathiQuacks]

Hello Gorgeous babies you’ve got there!

If you have any male ducks, they will not be able to safely live with your chickens. A male duck mating a chicken just once can be deadly to the chicken.

A good ratio with just these 4 ducks would be 1:3, though I do generally recommend 1:4 or 1:5. Any more than 1 male, you’ll need a lot more females.

All-flock and oyster shell should be great. Prepare to go through a lot of water

Food and water go together. They need water deep enough to dunk their heads in order to eat properly. I agree with having their water be a little ways from their food, though.

When they’re grown, I highly recommend keeping food and water out of their coop. They can go without it over night, and if they did have water in particular, they’d just splash and spill it everywhere, soaking the coop.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Another thing to think about is where will your ducks sleep if put in with the chickens? If you don’t have poop boards they will be pooped on from on high. And chickens can be very nasty to ducks so you’re going to have to be very careful and make sure the chickens have accepted these ducks before you put them in the coop.

 

[winterwolf4]

Another thing to think about is where will your ducks sleep if put in with the chickens? If you don’t have poop boards they will be pooped on from on high. And chickens can be very nasty to ducks so you’re going to have to be very careful and make sure the chickens have accepted these ducks before you put them in the coop.

Thank you for the information. We have a coop that needs to be repaired. We might put them in there.