[Topscaff]

Hi all, could I run ducks with chickens? if so would I need seperate housing and water (Pond) thanks Mike

[carl]

My cooks and ducks are in the same run and shed.. I split the shed so there's a upper part for the chooks and the ducks underneath

[Springlands]

I have two different houses within the run - one for the hens with perches and one for the ducks without. I also have a small pool for the ducks. I love our ducks but they are probably more mucky and destructive than the hens. They all get on reasonably well.

[Topscaff]

Thanks for your replies, Mike

[Sassy]

Re the housing - they do have separate requirements. If you have 2 houses how do you teach the ducks not to use the hen hut! The hens will use the hut with an upstairs and roosting bars instinctively. If there is no floor under the roosting bars the ducks will get pooped on. Also bear in mind that ducks need to be put to bed and hens go automatically. If you have a drake he is not usually fussy about doing what comes naturally with ducks or hens or cockerels!! In bad weather hen runs can get very muddy but you haven't seen anything until you have seen what ducks can do. However, some people with a little thought do run them together.

I have always run them separately for all the above reasons. Both are very rewarding.

[Sassy]

Re the housing - they do have separate requirements. If you have 2 houses how do you teach the ducks not to use the hen hut! The hens will use the hut with an upstairs and roosting bars instinctively. If there is no floor under the roosting bars the ducks will get pooped on. Also bear in mind that ducks need to be put to bed and hens go automatically. If you have a drake he is not usually fussy about doing what comes naturally with ducks or hens or cockerels!! In bad weather hen runs can get very muddy but you haven't seen anything until you have seen what ducks can do. However, some people with a little thought do run them together.

I have always run them separately for all the above reasons. Both are very rewarding.

Ducks and hens eat and drink very differently and need different types of eating and drinking containers. Ducks will dirty, immediately, any fresh water.  Ideally you do need a 'pond' for ducks. I have used the bottom half of an ELC childrens plastic sand pit and the continer part of a barrow. They need to be sited where the water can be tipped away regularly (every day is best) and rinsed out. Although they dirty their water straight away they will not swim in dirty water and as they poo in it it will quickly contain nasties. They must have somewhere to dunk their heads at all times during the day to keep their eyes clean and use their preen glands.

Modified to take text out of quote

[Springlands]

Maybe we  have just been lucky but the hens do not go into the duck house nor the ducks into the hen house. But as you say the ducks need to be put away each night. It is really funny they stand outside their house but just will not go in until we herd them.

[Sassy]

It took over a year and several near divorces before ours let us herd them in in a timely manner. Candid camera would have had a field day!

[Springlands]

That sounds so familiar - not long after we got the ducks OH was out and I had to lock them up on my own. I chased then around the run for about half an hour before they would go in. OH then said to me that HE never had that sort of bother.  My revenge came a couple of days later when the ducks gave him the run around. 

[carl]

Mine eat and drink from the same containers with no problems

[Sassy]

Mine eat and drink from the same containers with no problems

That is fine if the containers are suited to ducks.

[Topscaff]

I have two different houses within the run - one for the hens with perches and one for the ducks without. I also have a small pool for the ducks. I love our ducks but they are probably more mucky and destructive than the hens. They all get on reasonably well.

Looks like a plan I may give this ago, thanks Mike

[Topscaff]

Thanks all

[Springlands]

I have two different houses within the run - one for the hens with perches and one for the ducks without. I also have a small pool for the ducks. I love our ducks but they are probably more mucky and destructive than the hens. They all get on reasonably well.

Looks like a plan I may give this ago, thanks Mike

Mike - it is not really a pain - you just need to be aware of the different needs. 

[ANHBUC]

I have two different houses within the run - one for the hens with perches and one for the ducks without. I also have a small pool for the ducks. I love our ducks but they are probably more mucky and destructive than the hens. They all get on reasonably well.

Looks like a plan I may give this ago, thanks Mike

Mike - it is not really a pain - you just need to be aware of the different needs.