Chicken Help

[Alice Wright]

hi, unfortunately one of our blue bell hens has passed of old age (4) and now the other is all alone. We are thinking about getting another bird (duck/chicken) but I have a few questions. Has anyone kept a duck and a chicken together before? My garden is large and it will have a pool if we decide on a duck.
Thanks,
Alice

 

[Fanatic]

Aw, sorry about your hen
I personally have no experience whatsoever with livestock or fowl. I cannot keep them where I live, it's illegal by neighborhood law.

I wouldn't know if you could, but if the duck has it's own space, it should be just fine.
Because chickens don't swim, the duck would certainly have space to it's own.

 

[Tsin21]

Sorry for your loss. Having kept both chickens and ducks before (I lived in a rural town when I was young), I could say that chickens are social creatures and are more assured of their surroundings if with other chickens. I have kept & bred Philippine Native, Japanese bantams, Sasso & gamefowl before. As for ducks, they can be messy; both muscovy & runners. And they would tend to their kind and not much be a company to your hen.

 

[Smalltownfishfriend]

We have chickens but no ducks!! They are easily kept together though.. I know of a lot of places that do!!! Just if you don't mind the mess and smell of a duck... They are a lot stronger than a chicken!!! And I am sorry about your hen!!!

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

My dad just got his chickens the other day lol

Sorry about the problems you are having.

 

[maggie thecat]

At one point, my poultry yard contained dycks, geese, chickens, turkeys, and guinea fowl. Having downsized, duck stay with ducks and chickens with chickens.

Having said that, a solo chicken needs a flock. If it isn't you, (which can work, some people do have house chickens), then you need to start a new flock. Get a few, because at some point the old girl with go the way of her buddy, and you'll be back in the same predicament .