Can you raise chickens, ducks, and geese together?
Question by N. H: Can you raise chickens, ducks, and geese together?
I saw the questions on here about raising chickens and ducks together, and that seems to be fine. And I know ducks and geese get along just swimmingly… But how do geese and chickens get along?
The plan is to have a very large square of property (an acre or more) fenced off for the birds. The ducks and geese would have a pond and each species would have it’s own specific nesting/shelter area, but they would ultimately all be together in the same fenced in area.
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6 Responses to Can you raise chickens, ducks, and geese together?
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All of them should get along just fine as long as they all start off together while they are babies. A friend of mine raised ducks, chickens and turkeys together but suddenly the ducks started to peck the turkeys back, It got so bad that she removed the turkey from the pen and put it in another enclosure. Make sure to check on them everyday and they should be fine together.
Nancy H
March 26, 2012 at 9:11 am
They will all get along fine together even if they are not raised from chicks together.
JenVT
March 26, 2012 at 10:08 am
I believe you have plenty of space and all will be fine in the same fence. Ducks will eat all over the land and in the water, geese will graze and eat in the pond and chickens will forage all the land. They will like fruit and veggie scraps and all will eat a handful of chicken scratch feed or wild bird seed mix thrown on the ground.
Charles D. M.
March 26, 2012 at 10:14 am
Well as long as you stay away from aggressive breeds of chickens such as English game you might be okay. I keep Brahmas in with geese and ducks and they are fine.
However you have to lock them in at night or they will get eaten by predators in the dark even if it is fenced in.
Susan N
March 26, 2012 at 10:47 am
My grandparents had a farm before. Now, their just too old to manage it.
To make it safe, I think you should put another fence in the middle to prevent competition in the food chain. Yes, they wouldn’t eat the other, but they might mess up each others feeding habits.
They might get along. Might I add that ducks and geese could go with even just a little grass and a crude fence, while chickens need some taking care of, and especially higher fences, because they do try to escape and they fly higher. To save money, and to get organized, why don’t you cut the area in half for those two species. Another advantage of separating them is to prevent the spread of parasites and disease. Aside from a farm, ducks and chickens do live in different habitats.
Ducks are much more aggressive than chickens and if something goes wrong, they might attack chickens. Roosters, which are necessary if you want to breed, are lethal killers too. If ducks attack, then expect some ducks to get hurt or even die. Even roosters kill one another so keep roosters tied with a shade always. Don’t think that I’m joking; ducks are a hardy species and aren’t afraid of everything. I’ve seen ducks attacking my grandmother’s dog.
The chickens (unless you are breeding wild chickens) might have all the bias since I know you’ll be spending more for shade, medicine and feeds, at least you’re providing a pond for those ducks, which can be their hunting ground. Tall grasses would be suitable for geese compared to low grass for chickens.
For your pond maybe some small fish. And try breeding some worms and insects. Low fruit bearing plants might be good. Aside from feeds, you can even put vegetable cuttings.
Here, I’m glad to answer your question and I hope it helps.
Paulo Biolani
March 26, 2012 at 11:36 am
Many great suggestions in the answers given,i see no point in repetition.Mainly answering as i have first hand experience of a situation you have in mind.I have 2.5 acres fenced off,there is plenty of flowing water when the trees are being irrigated,so the ducks & geese are quite happy,plenty of greenery for shade & perches,there is good forage material too.Food & water is provided at several stations well known to the birds,no rush at any given time and birds can always stop by for a drink.
The point is since they have room enough no one gets underfoot or proves a threat to the other,besides these i also have a pair of turkey & two pairs of guineas.I have several enclosures for night safety & no hard & fast rules as to who occupies which coop & who else there is for company.Vigilance cannot be over stressed.
dee k
March 26, 2012 at 12:16 pm