The Poultry Keeper

james419 · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject: Starting from Scratch!!

Now the ban on poultry/ducks being kept in has been lifted here in France and the birds are once again available for sale we finnally can get started.

I am looking to put ducks and chickens in the same run - looking to by duckling and some young chicks - also 4 point of lay and a cockerel
The run is 30 metres x 10 metres and the old stable approx 8 x 8 metres - it is lovely and dry and hads an earth floor for them to scratch about in - our neighbours chickens have been resident for a couple of months during the ban!

Am I trying to mix to many options and if so at what rate should I introduce them.

Most others arounf here run them together and also with geese - to noisey for us as our neighbours have deeer which are nosey!

Any advice gratefully accepted

Many Thanks

James

RobMad · Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cornwall

A neighbour of mine said chickens will peck the webbing from in between the ducklings feet. Not sure if its true but dont wana find out!

alexa · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 336 Location: wiltshire

i know a few people that keep ducks and chickens and they are fine together, especially if you hatched them as chicks and ducklings are raised them together im sure you will have no problems.

however, WARNING! about the pond, we dont have ducks anymore but still had the pond in the ground, we let the orps in the run to eat the grass. the water was low enough so that if the orps fell in they could stand up and there were even steps for them to get out if that happened. thinking this was fine we left the pond uncovered not really imagining it could happen but we found one of the drowned in it the next day! please be careful about the pond, making sure no hens cant drown in it, as not all animals are intelligent and something may happen.

apart from that everything should be fine, ducklings are the best babies ever, follow people everywhere and i love watching them have their first swim.
i really dont mean 2 put u off with my comment above, just i dont want it to happen to you, we have certainly learnt from our mistakes and felt guilty but all we could do was learn from them and tell others to be careful

good luck with restarting and sorry to ramble on Very Happy

lex x

jaydee67 · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject:

I keep ducks and hens together, having introduced the ducks last year to an established flock of hens (have to hatch and add something each year - it's in the rules! Wink

). They were quite big when I added them and we have had no problems with them at all.

mojo · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:15 pm Post subject:

hi james as you will know i live infrance too.great the ban is lifted but food and water should be under cover,a sheet of odaline on breeze blocks is ok.the secret of keeping ducks and hens is to have a way of letting them sleep and eat apart if you need to,so design the barn divided and have a area outside with water for ducks only,work it out before you get them to make it easier.........best of luck keep us informed of progress and piccys if you can please.....mojo

james419 · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:21 pm Post subject: Starting from Scratch

Hi Mojo,

Thanks for the reminder - they will be fed undercover as we renovated a small barn which is seperated internally - was for the goats and chicken but means the goats will sleep with the ducks - no problem, as soon as they arrive hopefully next week I will try to post some pics - the goats are 4 & 6 weeks old at the moment and will not join us till mid july - giving plenty of time for the chicks and ducklings to grow, at the moment they are living happily with their mums and 5 Marans including a Cock and are not at all interested!!

How are you chcicks doing now they are allowed out

James

mojo · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject:

all the birds are full of jest of life now scratching etc.............but the newbies should start cracking out this weekend...............my legbars at long long last should be french..fingers crossed for me please