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ducks with hens?

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  • 01-04-2015 10:59am
    #1
    arthur daly
    Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭


    Hi all,iv kept a few hens for tears now and was thinking of getting ducks.
    Will they be ok housed with the hens?


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    #2
    Kovu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,241 ✭✭✭✭Kovu


    We did it for years upon years with no trouble, the ducks would sleep in a corner below the hens roost.

    It only became a bit awkward when the fox took two ducks, leaving us with just the one. It used to pally around with the hens and rooster and even flew into the nesting box to lay.....:pac:


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    #3
    johnsparkexile
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭johnsparkexile


    I kept both together for a few years now and never had a problem,only issue is that the runs are like mud baths in the winter because of the ducks, never had that issue when I just kept chickens.

    If you plan to keep a drake as well, watch him with the hens as they will mount anything and everything and the hens are none to pleased when he catch's them.


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    #4
    OUTDOORLASS
    Registered Users Posts: 618 ✭✭✭OUTDOORLASS


    We have had the 2 together for years, and again, depending on visits from our 4 legged friend, the combination varies....
    At our peak we had 5 hens and 4 ducks, not a bother. It.s gas, when I leave them out into the garden/field they
    will seperate and ducks go one way, hens the other. Numbers are low at the moment, 2 ducks, and 1 hen. The 3 of them
    will happily forage together. I have a few baths around for the ducks (some old plastic baby baths, that I got in charity shop) that the ducks have a wash in. I change the water frequently. Both eat the some hen pellets, plus scraps.
    Ducks have great character and are highly entertaining to watch. Enjoy....


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    #5
    arthur daly
    Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭arthur daly


    That's great thanks all,il get them in a couple of weeks..dig out a little pond and have a water supply to fill..


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    #6
    OUTDOORLASS
    Registered Users Posts: 618 ✭✭✭OUTDOORLASS


    Ah Arthur. I dont know if I would go down the pond route. Ducks are awful dirty creatures. We used to have a steel
    pond, and we used to drain it every week or so. The sludge and poo that was in it was unreal. Granted, we had a fair
    share of ducks at the time. Something like the old plastic baths, or children.s old sand pits....you could dig a hole, so
    that the lip is at ground level, but when you have to change the water, at least you only have to tip them out and rinse.
    I think ponds only work if they are part of a natural feature with running water through it.
    I.m no expert, but that is what we found.


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    #7
    abutler101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭abutler101


    I wouldn't recommend keeping chickens with ducks unless the run is very big. Ducks will make a mud bath out of any run unless it is very big (10 meters by 10 meters at least). The ducks don't mind the mess but the hens will hate it.

    I would also echo the above post. If you do get ducks I wouldn't have a pond unless it has running water through it. They get very mucky very quickly. Plastic or metal containers that have a drain in the bottom are good, children's sandboxes and old baths are ideal particularly if you aren't too concerned with aesthetics. They can be emptied, cleaned and re filled easily. Above ground ponds are also an option.

    Hope you get on well with your ducks.


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