hunter1 63 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Can you keep ducks with chickens and what's the best ducks for laying eggs.Do they need a lot of space . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jeppi26 1,855 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 This is something I have been looking into myself and on the net the Campbell and runners seem to be the at the top of the list for egg production. I know afew folk that keep hens and ducks in the same huts but are let out to free range during daylight cocks and drakes are ones to watch when together mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hunter1 63 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thanks rex26 I will have to think on this one . My chicken run is about 4m by 12 m. 5 hens in there and a small cockrel . Some days hens and cockrel are outside in the garden .And just have 2 ducks .I would prefer to keep the ducks in the pen. What do you think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoChara 1,600 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) I keep both ducks and chickens, happily and easily. Because ducks are water birds they can't really be housed with hens for the simple reason of hens like being dry!!! I can't really help on runs or whatever as mine are free range with chickens until dusk, chickens go into coops and ducks go into the big shed at one end. I highly recommend getting magpie ducks, I've had all sorts of ducks find khaki Campbell's good ducks also only thing with the magpies is they can be noisier than some breeds. Also like to add Runner ducks are Not big *egg*layers. They're egg production is lower than the likes of magpie/khaki Campbell's etc etc Edited May 17, 2015 by MoChara Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jeppi26 1,855 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 If you are raising ducks for eggs then you are after you can't go wrong with the Indian Runners which are probably the best egg-laying ducks around. They lay around 225-330 eggs a year but produce more heavily during spring and summer. Some will say that the Campbell (Khaki) duck is the better layer, but they are probably even in egg production. The Campbell is a placid bird with fair mothering instinct, whereas the Indian Runners are a little nervous but make excellent mothers. Something I copied of the net Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoChara 1,600 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Not going by my experience just what I was previously told by a duck man while ago. Not trying to over rule what you said Rex, just opinion, I'm no runner duck expert lol. (Top post supposed to say big egg layers not big layers btw) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hunter1 63 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Cheers lads I will have to leave the ducks until I get some more land . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blackbriar 8,568 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 I used to keep all mine free range, but coop them separately at night, for a pretty straightforward reason....... Hens roost on perches, ducks on the ground - result, mucky ducks ! During the day, the cockerel and the drake tended to keep their respective harems away from each other, and just eyed each other up from a distance. A far as ducks go, I had Khaki Campbell's and found them difficult to fault. A friend had Indians, and always found them a bit too skittish. Hope it works out for you. Good luck. BB 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
General lee 979 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 My nephew brought my two daughters two ducks a few years ago had no choice but to keep them let them run the yard but as soon as I let one of my cockerels out it broke one ducks leg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stevo79 569 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 To be fair, I wouldn't recommend keeping chickens and ducks in the same pen. The ducks will just mess all the drinking water so the chickens will be drinking dirty water. Make sure you give the ducks a fair sized pen, because they are messy and will turn any grass pen into mud if it's not big enough On the egg laying side I would go for a khaki Campbell I keep both and the Campbell's always lay more eggs. A good Campbell will lay better than a chicken in its first year laying 300 + eggs. Mine are the kortlang strain you can google it and read about them Atb 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoChara 1,600 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 My nephew brought my two daughters two ducks a few years ago had no choice but to keep them let them run the yard but as soon as I let one of my cockerels out it broke one ducks leggod I'm glad mine get on Well when I say get on the cocks are scared of my lone drake weird that is it? Drake goes for my pugs if they get too close as we'll Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lurchers 2,598 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 We had call ducks in with chickens and they were good layers,the best layers will be Aylesbury ducks mate and they are a good table bird to. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stevo79 569 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Sorry pal but aleysbury ducks are no way the best layers. They are a table bird, most aleysburys are not pure either there all hybrids, there's a breeder up North who has a pure strain, http://aylesbury.duckfarm.co.uk/richard/waller/home Edited May 18, 2015 by stevo79 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lurchers 2,598 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) My mate up north here has had them for a lot of years and the eggs he gets every year is unbelievable mate.and the ones in that link is exactly the se as them. Edited May 18, 2015 by lurchers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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