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Help! Chicken!


martySQ

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I know ducks. I don't know chickens...been a little scared of their beaks most my life...

So... we had what looks like a bantam (or pullet sized) barred plymouth rock wander in after a few storms round here... so, we caught her the other day, drove around to folks who have chickens, and haven't found her home yet... I stuck her in the duck pen...probably disgusting to her, since it gets rather muddy and they drill a lot in there when confined... but she kept sitting by the smaller cage I have 2 ducklings in that are maybe 2.5 weeks old. So I stuck her in with them... is that a mistake? she seems friendly to them, and if she likes them and wants to 'mother' them I won't need to bring then in at night to keep warm...

Is this acceptable? Also.... what does she need ? Can someone point me to a good forum where I can learn how to care for her while we look for her home... but I think we may have just inherited a chicken.

I am trying to get rid of some fowl...LOL... gave 3 ducks away, gained 2 ducklings and now the chicken... what is the message here!?! LOL !

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The message is that there's no getting away from the poultry. If she's feeling broody and mothering the ducklings, then she's okay with them. She'll be confused when they decide to go for water though.

 

She can eat whatever you're feeding the ducks, though she would probably prefer hers dry and not all dabbled in and soupy, which is what we know ducks do. She will also want a dry place where she can dust herself and would probably prefer to perch at night. My chickens will drink dirty water, but I prefer for them to have clean water to drink--another issue when ducks are involved.

 

Also watch and make sure that the ducks and drakes don't pick on her. If you can let her range out in the yard during the day and just put her up at night (maybe in a crate in the duck pen) she might be a bit happier.

 

There is a Backyard Chickens forum (Google it) that can probably offer advice and answer questions for you.

 

J.

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