housing for ducks & geese

traceykindall

In the Brooder
Nov 24, 2016
10
0
20
Hi Everyone,

I am planning to get geese and ducks next spring/summer (probably 2 pairs of geese and up to 6 ducks), and trying to plan just the right housing. Here are my questions:

• Can ducks and geese share the same pen if they have separate coops? Will they even use the separate coops?
• We are considering making a 2-story coop, with geese on the bottom and a ramp up to the duck area on the second "floor," which will have a lower ceiling. Will this work? In other words, will the ducks willingly go up and down a ramp to their quarters?
• We haven't fully decided on breeds yet - are call ducks too small to mingle with the others, or will they be fine? Our chicken flock does fine with mixed sizes, from Jersey Giant down to our tiny frizzle bantam hen. Are ducks similar? Will the geese bother the little ducks if they are kept together in the same area?
• Right now, we are considering a small roofed and fully-penned area to contain duck and geese housing and allow for protected outdoor access during the night. Then, during the day, the waterfowl could share the larger 2,000 square foot penned goat area with the goats, or free-range with the chickens in the yard. Is this roofed night area helpful or necessary, or would it be better just to lock them up each night inside their coops? Will they be able to share the pasture space with three mini goats?
• I'm assuming the geese and ducks will be fine sharing the yard with our existing chickens during free-range season - am I wrong?
• I would love any advice or suggestions on keeping geese and ducks together, best housing options for both/each, and keeping multiple animals happy together.

Thanks so much!

-- Tracey in Idaho
 
Sorry, but I can't figure out how to send a personal message, but I'd love to hear from you. Can someone tell me how to PM? Thanks!

-- Tracey in Idaho
 
1. Dont have geese, hope to get some next year. But cant help you with that now
2. The ducks will totally go up and down, try this. Put a ramp up to a pool. I guarantee you they will be goin up and down no prob in 15 minutes.

3. Again, no geese
4. How big is the coop? How often do you want to clean it? Are the goats a bit wild? Might they trample the ducks?
5. I free ranged ducks and chickens together, and they got along just great. But the chickens scratched out the bedding in the ducks nest trays and messed up the floors, and I got tired cleaning up from it. So they are separate now. That said, some people have had problems with the chickens bulling the ducks. And the drakes trying to mate with the chickens. So I dont really know if it will work for you.

I have A frames the ducks live in and they work great(with adjustments as I go along and learn what works and doesnt.)

Hope that all helps, good luck
 
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I have all three chickens, ducks and geese and I would not house ducks and geese together, free ranging is fine but geese are temperamental and can and will injure ducks and other poultry especially in breeding season so best they have their own space for sleeping. Mine do have their own house for protection from rain, sleet ,snow and predators etc.My flock does fine in the open but my ducks will pick on the chickens and the chickens will pick on the ducks. No one picks on the geese except my dominant Muscovy drake he keeps them in line.
 
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I got ducks (all female) and geese this spring as babies. They have always lived together and hang out together as a group. The chickens are also kept in the same area. The chickens have a coop and run of their own but come out during the day into the protected area. The ducks and geese can roam the entire nearly 13,000 square foot area I have protected with electric poultry netting. The ducks and geese have a shelter that was constructed out of hay bales but they prefer to sleep behind the chicken coop. Maybe in the spring when they are laying they'll lay in the shelter. So far everyone is tolerating the other. The geese didn't even mess with the baby chicks we had hatch out in Aug. Mama chicken told the geese to stay away and taught the chicks to not get too close to the geese.
 
I got ducks (all female) and geese this spring as babies. They have always lived together and hang out together as a group. The chickens are also kept in the same area. The chickens have a coop and run of their own but come out during the day into the protected area. The ducks and geese can roam the entire nearly 13,000 square foot area I have protected with electric poultry netting. The ducks and geese have a shelter that was constructed out of hay bales but they prefer to sleep behind the chicken coop. Maybe in the spring when they are laying they'll lay in the shelter. So far everyone is tolerating the other. The geese didn't even mess with the baby chicks we had hatch out in Aug. Mama chicken told the geese to stay away and taught the chicks to not get too close to the geese.
Lets us know what it's like in a couple months when the geese breeding season starts. My geese are pretty laid back right now but make a 360 turn once breeding season starts. Oh wait you have all females well they may get ornery once breeding season starts too but nothing like a gander.
 
I'm hoping all will be well. Lady across the street has geese, ducks, and chickens and they all range all over her property every day. Her geese only get touchy when they have little ones to protect. I have no intentions of breeding my birds. Just have to make sure her ducks and geese don't come across the street.
 

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