[Mum2mj]

Hi can someone please help me with ideas & space requirements?  I would like to put up a 6x4 shed to house both (up to 5) chickens & (up to 3 light breed) ducks ( & is this big enough?). Seeing as I have moved to an area infested with foxes they will have to be in a permanent enclosed run. It will be predominantly on concrete slabs with area for a small pond (planning on a hard plastic sand pit with plug & underground pipe to run off the dirty water.) It'll be a walkin run & will probably have a couple of levels for the chickens
The duck & chicken numbers aren't set in stone - how much outside space will they need to be happy in? I would ideally like to do a Chunnel (chicken tunnel  ) to a movable run to expand their space but this may not be possible.
Any advice, tips, hints etc gratefully received
Thanks 

[tosca100]

When we got our first two ducks we housed them separately, but they soon decided they would like to join the chooks (12) in the big house, about 12x12 feet. Unfortunately they do get rather excited about going out in the morning when the cockerel crowed or they heard us outside even if it wasn't quite light. Although there were two long perches one day we had a hen with a damaged leg. Not broken but she couldn't use it and eventually had to go as the others were picking on her. Now the ducks have their own shed and another five, four who are laying, have another. They do an awful lot of flapping about as soon as they hear us, banging on the door, and I won't risk allowing them in with the chooks again.

Just a word or two of caution.

[Prod]

I have two groups of chickens, each with a cockerel and two pairs of call ducks. The larger group free range and the ducks mix with them without problem, they even use the Grandpa's feeder. Usually they  roost in separate coops but they have been known to all go in together. At the moment I have split the two pairs of call ducks into separate pens each with it's own coop as it is coming up to breeding time. The only real problem I have with the ducks is that they would stay out all night if I left them whereas the chickens have a 'time' by which they have all gone inside. By the way, whoever tells you that ducks do not need a pond and can get by with a small bowl of water is lying!!!  I have 2 (freecycle) solid plastic paddling pools and the ducks absolutely love them, having said that my ducks are miniature so it is plenty deep for them but I enjoy watching them splash about and go under for the corn I (sometimes  throw in.....

[Mum2mj]

Hi thanks for the replies, as it's going to be a permanent enclosed run I was planning on leaving access open between house & run like I do at the moment in my current set up for my chickens.(half time they roost on the perch in the run, not the house) I will of course provide separate appropriate areas within the shed anyway but will 6x4 be big enough for those numbers? The run will be undercover if that makes a difference.
Prod I completely agree ducks should have access to a pond for a paddle & swim. 
Any ideas for outside space measurements?
Thanks again
 

[Prod]

To be honest a 6 x 4 shed might be too big for just 5 chickens. I converted a 6 x 4 shed (blew over in the storms) by cutting it in half and replacing the apex roof with a sloping onduline one and adding a rabbit hutch (virtually new £1 a the waste site) as a double nest box. I use it in the summer and have 9 birds in it but it could easily take double that. I use a smaller (bought) coop in the winter as the chickens keep warmer huddled together.

[Sassy]

Ducks and chooks will live happily together but they have different housing requirements and run conditions. Do consider how much more messy ducks are, you will be expecting your chooks to cope with that.

[Mum2mj]

Thanks for the replies.  I've decided I won't have enough run space to give them adequate areas within it for them to be happy, so I'm going to sort out the chickens first, then ducks if I've enough room somewhere else.
So...
I have a 6x4ft shed for them & the run space will be 6x10ft. They will not be allowed to free range as there are lots of foxes that come into my garden (grrr)
They will be able to go between the shed & run as they please. The perches will have a droppings board underneath, so apart from nest boxes they will have a fair amount of inside space.  The outdoor run will be undercover.
I will probably have an extra level within the run, maybe 2x4ft or more.
I have 2 chickens but would like 5-6 in total - do you think this will be sufficient space for them?

Thanks. 

[Sassy]

Do be aware if you have a drake that they are not fussy about who they do with what comes naturally!