My husband, kids, and I are all to to my in-laws for the night - and I have those 13 ducklings......
Mom & I were wondering if we can mix my ducks with her chicks (providing we use my feed since it's non-medicated)......The only "bad" thing I thought would happen is my ducks getting in the "pecking order"......Would it be a big deal to mix them for 24 hours?
Thanks for the help!
Heather
Can we mix chicks & ducklings?
I wouldn't only because ducklings make such a water mess and you wouldn't want young chicks to get a chill from getting splashed etc....
Probably would be stressful on both the ducklings and the chicks as well if they are young. There is the pecking order and why freak them out. Easier to just tote a rubbermaid tub or such to keep them separate.
Keeping them in the "yard" together when older works out ok as long as there is enough space and you have good drainage so it doesn't get muddy from all the water flinging.
But that's just my opinion.
~Julie
This message was edited Jun 9, 2007 3:45 PM
Ditto, I had to care for three pekings for a little while and they were MESSY not to mention they needed deeper water to keep healthly. The chicks I had pecked at them too (and those cute silkies stil are ruling the roost) The brooder changes were every couple of hours because of the water. I would find another another way.,
Well - you're going to laugh.....
I had read jab's post right before taking the ducks to my mom's....we had already agreed that I would watch for a while to make sure that all went well....and if it didn't - then I would be figuring out a way to take all 13 babies to my in-laws.
Well - as soon as I put the "kids" in with the chicks - there was definitely a "Look of Confusion"! That alone was priceless....so - I left them be and stood outside of the "chick's corner" to watch.....what I saw happen I WISH I had video-taped! It was like a scene from Westside Story! haha!
One of the chicks started pecking at one of my Pekins....until another Pekin came to the rescue....then some pecking back and forth happened for about 10 seconds.....and then they all split to opposite corners! Turned out they were regrouping - because they all went right back at eachother! They were probably in the same area together for maybe 2 minutes at the most - but boy was it amazing! It was obvious that they were just NOT going to get along!
What makes 1 week old ducks and 2 week old chickens KNOW that the others are different from them?!? To me, it's just plain amazing that God has made them this way! Too funny though!
Note to self: Never mix chicks and ducklings!
Thanks for the help!!! :)
It's fear of the intruder on both sides. Same thing happens when you add new chicks or ducks to the same species group. They pick at the intruder trying to drive it away.
Basically they are scared/stressed and trying to protect themselves. I have my pen with a mixed flock of chickens, ducks , guineas and turkeys..... it just takes time introducing and raising together as much as possible.
If you brought home new ducklings and put them with your group, you would have the same reaction. My runner ducks hated the new hatches and they spent weeks just being able to see each other before they were allowed brief moments together to adjust. Now they travel in a pack...lol
I put the last of my silkies in my pen a couple days ago, the one that had the biggest problem was one of the guineas. The other chickens will pick at them and they run for cover .....it's all a part of the pecking order and who is in charge thing. But the guinea was like Oh, I don't think so.......lol.
~Julie