[egglady]

sorry for all my questions folks, but hopefully this will be one of the last!  (well for today anyway!!!!)

I have 8 2day old ducklings and 10 5ish day old chicks (hubbards for meat).  at the moment they are in separate boxes, but as James so rightly pointed out they are all gettin a bit smelly to have in the house and I want to move them to a disused stable today.  Now it will be much easier if I can just put them all in an area together but I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.  Can anyone offer me their advice please?

I have had ducks and hens together before but they were a good bit older before I introduced them to each other.  As all of these birds are (supposed) to end up being for the table I will be feeding them the same food so it seems sensible to put them together - plus it means I only need to use one heat bulb rather than two!

Many thanks in advance for all help!

Laura

[jameslindsay]

I so no reason why not but just don't leave the paint tray bath out so the chooks can get in and drown, if that makes sense.

[egglady]

thanks James, that was kind of what I thought, but just wanted to check.  Ho-hum......off to muck out the stable then.......no rest for the wicked.......

[whitby_sam]

The other thing to consider is that Ducks neet the "Non ACS" chick crumb, they will die if they eat chick crumb with ACS. That means that either they'll need to be separated again when they go on to growers pellets and you could feed the chicks pellets with ACS or you would need to vaccinate your chicks against Coccidia.

Hope this helps.

[egglady]

The other thing to consider is that Ducks neet the "Non ACS" chick crumb, they will die if they eat chick crumb with ACS. That means that either they'll need to be separated again when they go on to growers pellets and you could feed the chicks pellets with ACS or you would need to vaccinate your chicks against Coccidia.

Hope this helps.

oh i dont know anything about this! they are both on standard chick crumbs just now - is that wrong?  feed merchant said to give them both the same.....

[whitby_sam]

Dodson & Horrell or Allan & Page "Smallholder range" are the most suitable. I've been told that ACS feeds can kill ducklings and Goslings.

More info here...

http://chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=7663.0

Don't mean to worry you by the way, just thought it better to warn of the dangers.

[doganjo]

Found this comment on that forum -

Like most pests and diseases that poultry are susceptible to, ACS is more of a problem to birds that are stressed by usually poor husbandry or confined housing.

Most chick crumbs don't contain ACS nowadays unless you are buying the more commercial rations

and also

I have 6 ducks that were raised on chick crumbs. The feed I buy isn't marketed as organic or duck friendly and the ducks are big and healthy.

and

my ducks also carnt read cos chick crumbs is all they got as well and i have 16 full grown very healthy ducks ? 25kg sack for two chicks wow bet you dont do that again lol just mix it with whatever you feed your chickens on and give to them.

So it wouldn't appear to be a huge problem.

[jameslindsay]

I am certain that this is all I have ever fed my ducklings and never had any isues either.

[Lavinia]

i have 7 khaki campbells and 10 hubbards in the same brooder, 4 more days and they will head out to a stable... I have them on crumbs from dobson and horrell , they all live together and get on fine.....

[clickowls]

I have reared hundreds of ducklings on chick crumbs with anti coccidiostat and never had dying ducklings.

[egglady]

wow -thanks for this - i was beginning to worry but it looks like all will be well.

just had another lamb born too - yet another busy day in paradise!

[little blue]

I have reared hundreds of ducklings on chick crumbs with anti coccidiostat and never had dying ducklings.

just abit of hijack... my feed merchant told me that they dont sell chick crumb with anti cocc in and that its "really hard to get hold of nowadays".   Anyone else heard this?

[clickowls]

Hi,
when I rear turkey chicks, I do search out feed with the coccidiostat in it, have to go to one feed merchant and we generally get BOCM Pauls feed.  I tried this year without the coccidiostat and disaster, just before they were due to be treated, lost some.
You do have to search for it.  In fairness I have heard the same about the feed, but my living ducks are proof that you can get away with it, do you think it is the period of time they are fed chick crumbs before they move onto something like a growers pellets?

[egglady]

well all are still alive and well so far anyway!