Can Ducks Be Raised With Chickens?

Chicken : Chicken is considered a poultry bird, as there are more than 150 breeds of it, each of which differs in its size, shape, and pattern. Although chicken is a bird, it cannot fly. It is also considered one of the meats and foods that humans consume in abundance. It can also be raised Chicken and benefit from it economically.

Ducks : Ducks are a type of waterbird. They are found almost everywhere in the world except Antarctica due to its very cold climate. They live in swamps, oceans, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Their average lifespan is between two and 12 years, and they migrate. While mating over long distances in search of warmth, it can also be raised at home.

Here is some information about raising ducks and chickens together:

Ducks are one of the animals that can be raised with chickens with ease, as they lay large and regular eggs like chickens.

Chickens and ducks can share open food bowls, so they can eat the same type of food.

Both chickens and ducks can also sleep in the same coop and can be separated. Chickens roost at night, so they will only need to sit on the ground. As for ducks, they prefer to nest at night, so they will look for a special place for that, so this must be provided in the coop.

Chickens need water lines to be able to drink from, while ducks need more space to immerse themselves, so this must be taken into consideration.

Feed ducks with chickens

Here are some of the foods that ducks and chickens eat together:

Adding brewer’s yeast to your flock’s food is a good idea; It helps in the growth of duck bones, and is also beneficial for chickens.

Ducks and chickens eat worms, insects and grasses, but ducks may be considered more picky eaters.

The fodder is left in its own place and in quantities, and both chickens and ducks organize their own meals.

Be careful not to make the herd eat protein in quantities that make it grow faster.

Duck requires more niacin than chicken.

You should feed your ducklings only starter feed for the first two weeks, then a low-protein grower feed until they are 18 weeks old.

Behavior of ducks and chickens with water

Watering ducks

Here’s what to do with watering ducks:

Ducks love water very much, so the longest they can go without water is 8 hours.

A swimming pool or small hand-dug pond is a must for the ducks to drink and play in.

Ducklings will use whatever water is available to swim, even if only small amounts are for drinking, so they will consume a lot.

Hanging drinkers can be used to keep them clean and not mixed with swimming water.

Watering chickens

The following is related to watering chickens:

Chickens need clean water to drink, and special water containers can be used and left in the barn throughout the day.

A laying hen needs about half a liter of water per day, and this depends on the size of the hen, the season, and the temperature.

Chickens raised for meat need more water than laying hens.

Chickens do not like to drink contaminated water that contains pine shavings, dirt, or droppings.

It is preferable to hang water containers and raise them off the ground to protect them from getting dirty.

Sleeping ducks with chickens

The following is related to the sleep of ducks and chickens:

Both chickens and ducks can share the coop while sleeping.

Ducks tend to move around during the night, and this is annoying for chickens who prefer to lie still at night.

Ducks prefer to nest while sleeping, while chickens sit on the ground and stay up all night.

Pros and cons of raising ducks with chickens

Positives

Here are the most important advantages of raising ducks with chickens in one barn:

Both ducks and chickens do not require elaborate and meticulous care, nor even an elaborate barn.

Both chickens and ducks can rely on themselves for nutrition and meet their needs.

Ducks kill and dispose of snails, slugs and other pesky crop pests in the barn.

Negatives

When you raise ducks with chickens, there are some disadvantages that you will suffer from, which are:

Ducks are messy animals that may annoy chickens.

Chickens and ducks are not best friends, and each will ignore the other. Chickens prefer to be with chickens, and the same applies to ducks.

The rooster may disturb the ducks to ensure that the hens get food.

Ducks need large amounts of water and constantly changing it to keep them healthy, unlike chickens.

Ducks lay their eggs wherever they are, unlike chickens, which require safe places.

Facts about raising ducks with chickens

Here are some facts about raising ducks and chickens together:

Ducks cannot jump and move easily like chickens, which are able to move on slopes with ease and speed.

Ducks prefer to sleep outdoors whenever possible, so try to provide them with a safe outdoor yard.

Ducks are more endurant than chickens, as they have a higher body temperature than chickens, and this can prevent external parasites from harming them; Like mites, their incidence of diseases decreases.