If you’re looking to add some webbed-footed members to your flock, and wondering how to raise ducks and chickens together you’ve come to the right place. Here I’m going to show you how you can successfully combine your flock of feathered friends.
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Why have ducks on a farm?
If you’ve been raising a flock of chickens, you may be interested in adding ducks to your flock. Ducks have a lot of use on a small farm.
Ducks have delicious large eggs. Some people even prefer the flavor of duck eggs over chicken eggs. They’re larger and are rich in minerals. The yolks are very rich, and many bakers prefer using them over chicken eggs. Duck breeds such as the Khaki Campbell lay egg amounts comparable to chickens
Ducks are great at pest control. Like chickens, ducks are also omnivores and will eat a lot of insects on your property. However, unlike chickens, ducks won’t destroy your ground as badly as chickens do. They don’t scratch and dig while looking for food.
Ducks are great if you want to raise your meat. Some of the larger breeds like Muscovy produce delicious dark meat. Duck meat is very nutritious and moist, and will add a different flavor profile than chicken.
Can you raise chickens and ducks together?
Now that I’ve convinced you of the reasons why you should raise ducks on your farm you might be wondering how to raise chickens and ducks together in the same coop.
Ducks and chickens can happily live together, but you have to understand their different needs.
Raising Ducks and Chickens Together
Duck waterers Vs. Chicken waterers
Chickens have small beaks and can easily drink from small cup waterers. They aren’t very prone to making a mess with their drinkers.
Ducks on the other hand need a water trough large enough to dip their heads and their bills in. This cleans their bills and nostrils while also wetting their feed so they can digest it. A small nipple waterer will not work for a duck.
Ducks also enjoy playing in their water, causing it to be very dirty. Your chickens will not want to drink dirty water. It’s best to have a separate waterer for your chickens and ducks.
Chicken housing Vs. Duck housing
Chickens will need a dry home away from the elements, and prefer dry bedding. If you observe chickens, you’ll see they don’t like being in the mud.
Ducks are waterfowl and don’t mind being wet one bit. They love splashing in their water bowl and creating a big wet mess.
To make both the chickens and ducks happy, keep the duck waterer outside of the coop. I keep their water trough in the outdoor run and frequently move it around to prevent a consistently moist area. This way the coop stays nice and dry for the chickens.
Chicken and Duck Sleeping arrangements
Chickens will also need a place to roost off the ground at night. They’ll naturally get to the highest point in the coop to sleep. My article on keeping chickens discusses what chickens prefer in their home.
Ducks prefer nesting on the ground. This can pose a problem since chickens roost and poop A LOT at night. You don’t want your ducks sleeping in the chicken manure. Be sure to have a roost-free area of your coop where the ducks can nest.
Also, the ducks need to have easy access to the coop. If you have a steep ramp, the ducks won’t be able to climb it.
Ducks aren’t sound sleepers like chickens and can be fairly restless at night. If you’re able to partition off a separate area of the coop specifically for the ducks, that is ideal.
I’ve found that my ducks prefer sleeping outside. I prepared an old dog house for the ducks and placed it in the secure run. The ducks now sleep out in the run. The dog house is great because it’s low to the ground so the ducks can easily access it. It also gives the ducks the ability to go freely in and out of the shelter.
Duck feeders vs. Chicken feeders
Adult ducks and chickens can eat the same feed. However, they may not be able to use the same feeders. Chickens have smaller beaks allowing them to access feeders with smaller openings. This is great for rodent-proof or high-feed capacity feeders.
However, ducks have a large bill and need a bigger area to access their food. A bowl feeder works best for ducks. I feed my ducks in a separate area from the chickens. Chickens will get into the duck bowl and scratch out all the feed causing a big mess.
There are nosey chickens that inevitably find the food, but it isn’t a big problem My drake does a great job of protecting the food.
Duck personalities vs. chicken personalities
Ducks and chickens both enjoy free-ranging. You will also find that ducks are excellent foragers and require less feed when they’re allowed to roam.
Ducks will naturally roam as a group looking for food, and keeping safety in numbers. Chickens like to free-range more independently. The two will rarely have altercations since their instincts are different.
If you’re housing them in a run without free-ranging capabilities, be sure to give everyone enough personal space. They can happily cohabitate if they’re given enough room to separate.
Keeping Drakes and Roosters Together
Having a drake without a rooster can be an issue if you’re keeping chickens with ducks. A drake will sometimes try to mate with the hens. Their anatomy is very different from chickens which can lead to the drake injuring a hen.
You have to watch their behavior closely to see how aggressive your drake is. Also, having an adequate amount of female ducks around will help keep your hens safe. He’ll probably prefer to mate the female ducks.
However, if you have a rooster and a drake, the rooster will protect the hens. I have both roosters and drakes together. They don’t bother each other. The rooster takes care of his hens, and the drake takes care of his.
Important Points on How to Raise Ducks and Chickens Together
I hope you found this article useful! Here are some of the important points to remember about raising ducks and chickens together.
- They need separate waters that are suited to their unique drinking habits. Ducks need an open trough, while chickens will do great with nipple waterers.
- They can eat the same feed but they will need separate feeders. Chickens do great with small well-feders due to their small beaks. Ducks need a larger bowl-type feeder that will fit their larger bills. Keeping the feeders separated will help keep the chickens out of the duck food.
- They will need specific coop arrangements. Chickens will roost at night, while ducks nest on the ground. Providing an area for both needs is necessary when designing a coop. Don’t let the ducks nest under the chickens at night or they’ll be covered in chicken poop.
- If you have a drake in your flock, monitor his behavior closely to ensure he doesn’t injure a hen. Having enough female ducks as well as having a rooster will help protect the vulnerable hens.
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