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!
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 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.