Author Topic: Chicken & Duck question (Read 3215 times)

blades · « **on:** January 23, 2012, 06:25:28 pm »

We have a 20' x 10' stable that is not being used..... I'd like to use it for our chickens and ducks but wondered if there are any issues with letting them share the building? We have about 30 chickens and 6 Indian runner ducks.... They all free range during daylight hours

Thanks in advance

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2012, 06:31:50 pm »

I don't know of any risks health wise, but when I let mine out in the front paddock every day one lot would complain if the other lot got out and they didn't. When I was in Aberdeenshire I had 25 hens and 11 ducks all in one huge pen with a duck pond in it. When I went out at dark to close the barn doors I sometimes found a duck in with the hens and vice versa.

Mel · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2012, 06:35:03 pm »

Quote from: uppermillfarm on January 23, 2012, 06:25:28 pm

We have a 20' x 10' stable that is not being used..... I'd like to use it for our chickens and ducks but wondered if there are any issues with letting them share the building? We have about 30 chickens and 6 Indian runner ducks.... They all free range during daylight hours

Thanks in advance

My banties share with the ducks,they all get on fine and I have never had any problems at all.

CameronS · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2012, 06:45:28 pm »

My ducks and hens all share shed, pen, feeding fine with no issues what so ever,

20x10 is plenty of space for them to get enough space away from each other

jaykay · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2012, 07:35:43 pm »

Mine all free-range together happily. in fact mine have separate houses but my friend has just one house, 10x8 for all her hens and ducks, and they're fine

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2012, 06:19:32 pm »

I keep mine seperate. I just got the ducks and house first , the chickens and house later. But - they have quite different bedtimes ! The ducks hardly go to bed in the summer and the hens are early risers. I know, I am so kind to accommodate to their particular habits

It's practicalities, too - if the ducks got up with the hens I'd have to collect their eggs mainly in the garden and be faster than the crows ...

PetiteGalette · « **Reply #6 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:29:23 am »

Some of our ducks and geese are penned together sometimes when we are short of pen space (the pens are all very big!) and they share a house.
We have no problem with the housing as the houses are shelved with wide shelves with nest boxes and roosts for the chickens. The chickens go to bed first 'upstairs' and we drive the ducks in at dusk. The house has 'poop holes' and a large central door, so they can choose their means of entry. Never had a problem. The ducks always exit first in a mad scramble and the chickens wait until theyve cleared out and climb down their ladder or just fly out.

MAK · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2012, 05:50:14 am »

That sounds a great set up Petite Gal' - I don't suppose that you have a photo you can share. I plan to improve our birds housing in the spring. You could PM me if you have a plan I could follow