Warm boot recommendations please

[The Harrisons]

Have any of your chickens met ducks? We have three pairs of them sitting in the field next to our garden. Grace appears to have noticed them and was making a racket, but that could be because a) she had just laid an egg, or b) it is windy and rainy today, and she has been turfed out of her run (although she can shelter in a box or in the eglu, as I have left the eggport open for her. We had ducks here last year before the chickens, and they came into the garden to sleep, until a friend's jack russell caught one. (It flew off with the others, but they never came back, unsurprisingly).

 

I just wondered whether the ducks will keep out because of the chooks, or if they do come in, whether either is likely to pose a threat to the other if you know what I mean.

 

(There are Canada geese too, but they have been here for a few weeks now and have not come anywhere near us, thank goodness. I think even Grace might blanch at the sight of them!!)

[Mrs Frugal]

Hi Sally,

 

I haven't had any experience of keeping ducks so can't really help much. I know there are several people on the River Cottage forum who do keep chickens and ducks together so I would imagine your visitors would be OK with your girls.

 

Let us know how it goes, won't you.

 

I like NG's new name - very sweet.

[motherhen]

I have used a broody hen in the past to hatch duck eggs - they take 28 days so you need a good broody. Only problems when ducklings go swimming - mum tends to panic a bit, and when ducks get larger than mum but still try to snuggle up under her.

 

No problems with ducks and hens getting along together.

[swindon_clucker]

My friend and his nan keep 6 or seven chickens in with their 3 ducks (female Campells). The ducks get on well with chickens but they stay out of each other's way. If you ever keep them you'll laugh so much how they waddle about as I read on the omlet site ducks are comedians of the bird world.