Re: Ducks and Chickens compatability

From: Jill (news_at_REMOVETHISkintaline.co.uk)
Date: 07/04/04 

Date: Sun, 4 Jul 2004 12:19:11 +0100

Darkginger wrote:

Anyway, that's by the by - I'm going to
> shift the newbies one night into the big house, and move the ark so
> they have to all roost together!

sounds good

>
> Anyway - I'm thinking of getting a few ducks (for eggs) - we have
> water on the land - but a) there isn't enough room in the big chicken
> house for 4 ducks as well, and b) I would prefer not to have to deal
> with duck poo in the chicken egg laying area.

agreed :~)

So - what sort of
> housing should the potential ducks have,

Very simple

 and how would I go about
> making sure they used it in preference to sleeping with the hens?

Put it nearer the water than the hens
but not too close so they have to come up off the pond to it
Put a fence around it [something like our hurdles work really well as they
are easy to move about] or bamboo canes woven into chicken wire and pushed
into the ground
Make this into a pen around about 60 sq ft or thereabouts.
Into this place something for them to have as a temporary pool. A clay
sink - a kiddies paddling pool or sand pit - a plastic dog bed - the buckets
that sheep and horse licks come in are ideal. Shut them in this area until
you are happy they have got the going in and out at night bit sorted out
reliably.
Feed them in here twice a day
Once they are settled - you can let them out one early afternoon. About 6-7
ish before shutting in time give them their afternoon feed back in the pen
and shut them in
Rinse and repeat as they say
You should be able to get them so you can feed them anywhere that suits you
so saving the ground but still get them to herd in. If you have a problem or
they get cheeky you can resort to afternoon feeds in the pen.

> Would they fit in the ark, I wonder (for night purposes only - free
> range during the day)? It's certainly big enough for 6 hens to roost
> comfortably, but I'm a total duck novice, so could do with advice
> from someone who knows more!

Its square area in the floor that is important - what size is it and what
ducks do you want. - Runners means you need to look at head height too.
 and you want good ventilation
you also want it easy to clean

That depends on your ark - is it easy to clean and does it have good head
room, what is the ventilation
How does it compare to http://www.henhouses.co.uk/swinford.html which is the
house I would most likely recommend if you came to me for a house.

>
> Oh, and finally, the ducks would be (big) ducklings on arrival -
> should I treat them as I did the POLs, and keep them in the ark/run
> for a while to stop bullying from the chickens? What about access to
> water during that time (not drinking water, I'm thinking pond type
> water)? Would a paddling pool in a run do? Do duckilings ever drown
> if the water they have access to is too deep? How deep is too deep?

How old ?
How much water will they have had before?
I take it you mean off heat? but how far feathered?
IF they have had water before then should have some degree of oiling
started, if they have been with Mum they will have quite good oiling. if
they have had neither then only very shallow water - that is where old
plastic dog beds really work so well as its a reasonable expanse of water
but very shallow.
You will need to watch them chilling so their bed will need to be as dry as
poss in the first week

> So many questions! (Sorry!)

hope that helps a bit 

--
regards
Jill Bowis
Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk
>
> TIA
>
> Jo
>
>
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