Building duck and chicken coops, should they share a run

[Belovedturkey]

In building a new coop for my ducks and chickens, they’ve lived together their entire lives in a shared coop but this time I’m going to have two separate coops so I can manage their water and food better. The ducks have never had anything more than a kiddie pool but we are going to get them a pond that we can drain, I’ve always planned on keeping the ducks and chickens in the same run but I’m worried about the chickens drowning in the new pool. I also have a bunny who would share a run with the chickens and I’m also worried he could drown. Is it better to just seperate their runs or is there a way to keep the other animals safe from the deep water? I’m also wondering if the ducks have a pond how many seperate water dishes do they need on top of that.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I can't answer all your questions but I do know that you should not keep male ducks (sorry, drakes) together with chicken hens. Drakes can kill hens by attempting to mate with them, they are not designed to be together.

Other than that (should all your ducks be females) I don't see a problem with the chickens drowning in a pond. They are not stupid and won't go into the pond, they have no desire to go into deep water although they may drink from the shallow edges.

Edited for clarity.

 

[Belovedturkey]

I can't answer all your questions but I do know that you should not keep male ducks (sorry, drakes) together with chicken hens. Drakes can kill hens by attempting to mate with them, they are not designed to be together.

Other than that (should all your ducks be females) I don't see a problem with the chickens drowning in a pond. They are not stupid and won't go into the pond, they have no desire to go into deep water although they may drink from the shallow edges.

Edited for clarity.

I do have a drake, it’s never been a problem before, could the pond make it a problem if he tried to mate with them, I’ve never seen him go for anything but a duck though. I have five female ducks and one drake, and 14 hens and one rooster. And a bunny

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't see how the pond could make it a problem if it isn't already but I don't really know. I've just seen that warning on here over and over again, that a drake attempting to mate a chicken hen can kill her. Your chickens are not going to go in the pond where the drake can drown them. The drake has a body part that will tear the chickens up inside.

 

[aart]

I would suggest separate runs for each species.
The rabbit lives with all the birds full time?

 

[Belovedturkey]

I would suggest separate runs for each species.
The rabbit lives with all the birds full time?

He does, I’m planning to put him with the chickens because he gets along better with them than the ducks, they will have seperate coops but share a run, right now they all live together in the same coop. The bunny has a cage where he eats bunny food and has a clean water bottle and the birds eat all flock while the bunny is in his cage eating his food