chickens and ducks

[chump]

Me and my husband purchased 3 ducks bout a week ago. We've had chickens little over a year but we've never dealt with ducks before. We have 1 khaki campbell and 2 cayugas. We were wondering if anyone could tell us if its ok to keep ducks and chickens together in same pen or wod it be better to have their own pen separate? Do ducks come home to roost like chickens or are they different?

 

[TLWR]

It's better to separate if you have the space and can do it, but it seems like it is fine to cohouse them if you have to.
Ducks are messy with their water. Chickens, not so much (I know nothing about chickens other than I had some for lunch on a sandwich and what I read on this forum). So the ducks will make a mess for the chickens and of their water.

My 3 runners put themselves to bed at night (or sleep right in front of their house door until I go out and tell them it is bedtime and lock them in for the night.

 

[ShadowRooster]

My ducks and chickens get along fine together. I would watch them for the first day to make sure the chickens dont hurt them. I have two call ducks with all ages and sizes of chickens, never a problem. They make a mess with the water though.
My ducks come back.. sometimes. You have to herd them back or offer a treat if you want them locked up. My ducks don't roost, they sleep in the corner. Chickens will drown in kiddy pools, so if you want that for your ducks, then keep it away from the chickens.

 

[chump]

Thanks. Appreciate information. Am wanting to get dark campbells, anconas and buff ducks. Am in love with chickens but don't like ancona and buff chickens just on the ducks. Isn't that weird? Have a large shed and fenced in pen about half its size attached to it and we will probly be keeping ducks in wire pen. Hope they like their new home enuf to come home every nite. That's wat I meant wen I said “roost”. I no they don't actually roost like a chicken. They'll have access to chicken pen but we can even take care of that if its a problem later on. Think it'll be fun havin some ducks.

 

[Lamar Estate]

I have a very sweet Speckled Sussex rooster and 16 hens (most of them very tame). I also have a Cayuga drake and Khaki Campbell-Cayuga duck. The drake and chickens were adults when I received them, which was at the same time.

The ducks do not like the chickens. The drake chases, pokes, and sometimes pulls feathers out of the chickens. The duck just pokes them. The chickens walk around on eggshells around them. After a couple of months of watching unhappy ducks and nervous chickens, I decided to separated them.

The ducks did splash water around inside the coop, but their animosity towards the chickens is the main reason why they now are living in the guest bathroom!

It would have been okay if I had left the ducks with the chickens, but ever since the ducks moved inside, they have become very affectionate. They don't like to be petted, but they like to cuddle (under their own terms).

 

[BeccaOH]

My ducks, geese, and chickens all share a large yard. I'll be switching that up now that spring is about here, but all winter they have gotten along. The slightly inclined yard lets excess water and mud drain off. The chickens have their own heated waterer inside their coop where the waterfowl can't get to it and play in it. The waterfowl have lean-to shelters outside and water tubs. The ducks only explore inside the chicken coop to look for a nesting place that I haven't yet raided. I have one group of runners who can be herded, so they are the only ones that get any free range time outside the fences. They were trained at their previous home. The other ducks were mine from duckling stage and are slackers just like me.

 

[love4mj96]

i asked the same thing,lol.....i think it would be okay but if your duck has a pool or something make sure the chickens wont drown.Some ducks and chickens however dont get along,so i guess it all depends on them.

 

[sandracollins]

I have 17 hens and 5 call ducks freeranging on about half an acre and they all get on fine. I have a large pond that the ducks swim in and sometimes the hens drink from and I have never had a problem. The ducks sleep on the floor of the hen house , they have a large dog kennel but after chasing them around for the first few nights trying to get them to go into it I gave up and just let them stay with the hens. The only problem I have is that the ducks don't go to bed until about 45 mins after the hens so you have to wait to lock them in, don't know what I will do in the summer here in Ireland it can be bright until 11pm in June and july

 

[chump]

Never seen the sun out at 11 pm. Almost made it to 10 pm during summer equinox but not quit. Is the weather constant in Ireland or do the seasons change in certain areas?

 

[sandracollins]

The seasons change all over Ireland ,in the winter it is dark at about 4 pm and this year the temps got down to - 14 c at night which is a record for here.The summers can be nice but you have can never be sure of sunshine at the moment it is bright until about 6 30 pm and in 2 weeks time the clocks go forward and it will be bright until about 8 pm.