[Declan]

Is there any problem mixing ducks in with me hens in a large garden area. There are about 30 hens and I am proposing to put in about 5-8 ducks. Does anybody foresee any problems?
There are cockerals with the hens but they don't bother with each other as they were reared together and i am hoping to have a drake but am happy to do without if it is going to cause a problem.

Declan

[doganjo]

They won't bother each other but your hens won't have clean drinking water as the ducks dib their beaks in mud and food then in their water.  And I found that they scatter the food around too.  I have separated mine for those reasons.  I think there was a thread about this a few weeks ago.

[princesspiggy]

mine were sharing temporarily but had no problems so theyre still together. that includes drakes and cockerals. but mine are all last years hatch so mite change when theyre older, wud def be ready to protect any young. we also have a lot of visiting pheasants which they all cope with. the ducks get the upper hand, but never seen them fight, plus they have quite a big area. a smaller area would intensify any hostilities. if they all have enough space, feed and water (give the chickens a waterhopper so it stays clean and the ducks a shallow bucket) they will be happier. chickens enjoy the pond just as the ducks as they find the worms etc. ducks are good at making mud tho.

[novicesmallholder]

We put 4 ducks in with our 30 ex batts and - poor ducks had to take them out due to chooks attacking them. Now chooks sometimes get into duck run and attack them. Poor ducks won't come out to free range - any suggestions?

[northfifeduckling]

We have 10 ducks to 7 chooks. The ducks were here first and are not so happy as the chooks eat all their food (if we let them). They tend to keep seperate in the garden but the chooks do annoy the ducks sometimes, so they go elsewhere. I did see flying birds (cockerel and drake) once...the chooks have a seperate drinker (see Annie's reply  )

[doganjo]

My two youngest LS hens jump the chicken run fence and go in beside the ducks.  They stay there all day if I let them, and when they are all out free ranging they stay with the ducks rather than the other hens, including their mother.  I have no idea why as they weren't in with the ducks as babies.  I gave my hens a proper drinker for chooks and the ducks still managed to make the water in that dirty!

[princesspiggy]

maybe success is down to temperment and breed of hen. my marsh daisies are really quiet and placid, but we had ex-commercial hens in past that would be complete bullies to anything that moved - or indeed didnt move... and they had a total gang mentality. if u drop sumthing and the hens all come running and pounce on it, id say they might pick on the ducks. 

[CameronS]

i have three ducks with about 20ish hens, all running together with no problems, in this cold weather they have even began sharing the same house

[OhLaLa]

I think it's a case of keeping an eye on them to see how they get on and take it from there.

Our ducks totally free range with the hens so plenty of room for all. The cockerels will give the ducks a peck to chase them off if they want a particular tidbit. Ducks are greedy eaters and the chickens find them a bit overwhelming when the feed buckets appear so I feed the chickens before the ducks are out and lock the chickens away at night with their grub so they can have their supper in peace (or the ducks will pinch it).

You will find that all water will be dabbled in by the ducks and are muddied up almost immediately. I have a sep waterer in the hen house which I still have to keep an eye on, and all the usual water options outside. These need attention every day, several times over in the warmer months.

Ducks make LOTS of poo. Bear this in mind too. You will soon be treading mud, poop and slush.