New hens not going into Eglu Go Up

[wee_deec]

Hi,

 

I'm completely new to this and was wondering if I could keep 2 hens (1 Blue Ranger, 1 Speckeldy) along with a duck in an Eglu Go?

 

I was thinking of getting either a Khaki or an Indian Runner duck...

 

Also, would the 2 hens be ok together as they are different types?

 

Thanks,

Derek

[Egluntyne]

Two hens of different species would be fine together. One snag re keeping them with a duck in the Go is that the hens will prefer to roost on the bars, whereas the Duck won't be able to.

[wee_deec]

Cool thanks.

 

Is it ok if the duck sleeps under them or to the side so to speak? I know the hens will want to be high up...

 

Does anyone else have both a hen and a duck in an Eglu?

[The Dogmother]

I'd also be careful because they have different needs - ducks like water - hens are stupid around water and tend to drown. male ducks can be very 'voracious' and have no compunction about what they take their desires out on

[wee_deec]

Oh I have no intention of getting a drake!

 

In terms of water... I've been reading up and sme ducks don't really need much - especially the khaki Campbell... Also I believe that the IR likes to dip it's head the most!!

[mum-2-olly]

my friend keeps ducks and chicks together from a very early age, they get on lovely, the chicks roost and ducks lay underneath (she does not have an eglu)

 

i think the bit about water might be true tho, she dug a baby bath into the ground and filled with water and came home to fins a chick in it drowning and she had to revive it, he is ok tho she then pulled the bath out the ground a bit more so that the chicks/ducks physically had to step into the water and she has had no prblesms since and this was a couple of months ago. they get on lovely!

[Chortle Chook]

Most don't need a lot of water. In some garden centres you can get a large low sort of tub trug to fill with water and that is just fine. In fact it is better than a small pond as you can keep the water really nice and clean by refreshing it daily.

 

Chooks can get on just fine with ducks who tend to be milder natured than the chooks. However, though a few weeks ago I'd have said, yes, go for it, now I'd say only go for it if you have plenty of time to keep your set up really clean. I recently saw a WIR where the ducks made such a mess (their poo is very runny and they paddle water about everywhere) that it was not pleasant for the chooks even in this dry weather. Admittedly these chooks were Pekins so it was worse for them than it would be for your chickens as they have feathered feet. Sadly, a few days after my visit one of these little Pekins died having suffered from some sort of intestine infection. Though not mine I felt very sad indeed. I feel certain that it was because there was not enough room and the WIR had got just too mucky. Bacteria love nothing better than a damp, warmish atmosphere. Now I'm trying to persuade the owner to let me buy her remaining chooks so she can just keep the ducks. I feel so worried about them

[The Dogmother]

CC has hit the nail on the head there - as I said, ducks can be very messy - chickens don't thrive in damp surroundings, in fact they can easily develop fungal and bacterial foot problems if they are kept on wet or damp ground.

[wee_deec]

are ALL ducks messy?

[The Dogmother]

Pretty much

[wee_deec]

hmmmm...

[Redwing]

I have chickens and ducks and although the ducks arent massively messy (though I think we are exceptionally lucky there) I wouldnt have the birds together, one because they have different roosting needs, two because ducks lay in the run and can start off an egg eating habit in the chickens, three because they need at least a deep drinker to get their heads in which is a risk to the chickens and four because they do get everything damp and its not a healthy environment to keep a chicken in

[wee_deec]

its interesting cos I think quite a few people on here keep them together.

[Redwing]

I know a few have both chooks and ducks but not many that keep them together

 

Lwescott has one duck with his chooks but has a big run and they free range in a very large garden too

 

To keep two hens and a Duck in an Eglu Go run would be a recipe for disaster IMHO

[Chortle Chook]

Lwescott has one duck with his chooks but has a big run and they free range in a very large garden too

 

To keep two hens and a Duck in an Eglu Go run would be a recipe for disaster IMHO

Totally agree. I think the key for keeping ducks and chooks together is that you need lots of FR space. I don't think it works if they are penned together.