natural living | Incidental Farm Girl
  • Blog
  • About
    • Contact
    • A Mom's Life
  • Homesteading
    • Videos
    • Organic Gardening
    • Chickens on the farm
    • Rabbits on the Farm
  • Homemaking
    • In the Home
    • Home Birth
    • Parenting
    • Recipes
    • Do It Yourself (DIY)
  • Home School
  • Natural Living
    • Homeopathy
  • Cedar's Story
    • Our Story
    • Facts
  • Opinions/Editorials
  • 30 days to Natural Living
  • The Way Grandma Used To...

Housing Ducks in the Chicken Coop

7/8/2016

2 Comments

 
It was a good idea in theory, I have read about many successful homesteaders keeping ducks and chickens together in the coop with no problems.  I was prepared for the pooping, I mean ducks poop ALOT.  What I was not prepared for was the water fights.  How three small ducks manage to decimate 5 gallons of water from a poultry waterer in just hours flat is still beyond me!

I thought I had done my homework.  I picked the smallest breed of duck that I thought would be a good fit, I mean look at these little guys, so cute!
Picture
Picture
The first problem was when the chickens (albeit much smaller birds as they are all just under 2 months old) started trying to pick the ducks apart, feather by feather.  That began the separation.  I had to, for a time, put the ducks in a completely different location in the witness protection program for their own good.

After a little R & R in the program, I reintroduced the ducks, I mean they were now almost 3 times the size of the chickens.  Surely they can protect themselves.

The answer was yes, there does not seem to be any further feather picking, but that was only the start of my problems.

It is the incessant water wars.

​I have never seen anything like it.  The ducks must make water bombs that they lob from one side of the coop to the next  when I'm not looking.  I am not even exaggerating here, they are going to rot the floor right out of the coop with these antics!  I fear that whatever water party they are throwing will eventually drown the chickens in a wave of surf (okay, not really but it is pretty ridiculous looking out there!)

I called a friend, a wonderful neighbor with all kinds of fowl, I may have even begged.  She is a dear and said that we can relocate the ducks to her place, she has a large pond and not so many bird dogs as we do so the ducks stand a much better chance of free-range happiness over there.

So much for the duck eggs I was planning on baking with.  

So much for the  cute little ducks that would wander around our place as adorable lawn ornaments.

So much for the advice of all the other homesteaders who have successfully had ducks in the coop.

My assessment, it just doesn't work.  Nope, no ducks in the coop here.  They gotta go.
Picture
Picture
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Pinterest
2 Comments
Michelle link
8/3/2016 05:01:53 pm

I'm so sad duck didn't work out for you... we have free-ranging ducks and chicks and everyone gets along quite well (aka the ducks and chicks each stay to themselves). But we never tried to put the ducks in the coop... we read to much about how messy they are. So right in the beginning my daughter built a small duck house out of pallets that sits NEXT to the coop... Duck eggs are yummy and fabulous for baking.

Reply
incidentalfarmgirl link
8/4/2016 07:52:28 am

Michelle, to say that I am jealous of your duck eggs would be an understatement, they are AWESOME in baking!!! Send some my way. lol

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Want to be "In the Know?"

    * indicates required
    Great selection of bulk herbs, books, and remedies. Articles, Research Aids and much more.
    Picture
    Picture

    Author

    Wife to a wonderful husband, Daughter of the King, Mother of 6 (one with an xtra chromosome), and an incidental farm girl.

    Categories

    All
    30 Days To Natural Living
    A More Natural Way 30 Days To Natural Living
    BIG Family Living
    Chickens
    DIY
    Down Syndrome
    Essential Oils
    Farm Fresh Recipes
    Gardening
    Homeopathy
    Homeschooling
    Homesteading
    Life On The Farm
    Opinions/Editorials
    Our Homebirth Story
    Parenting
    PIgs On The Farm
    Raising Rabbits
    The Way Grandma Used To...

    Archives

    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly