ok this may have been done to death but a potential chicken keeper

[Thehusbandsatcricketagain]

We have been thinking about this long & hard & we do want to keep our own chickens with a duck also.

They will be kept on our allotment just up the road from us as our garden would not be suitable due to our dog thinking anything small & fluffy is a toy !!!

So what we need to know is are we better off buying a coop with a seperate run or 1 of these all in one type things.Ideally we want only 3 chooks & 1 duck.

Thoughts from any experienced chicken keepers please :o

I like the all in one arks because they seem more secure against vermin and well I can't think of a downside really! I prefer the ones with the house at one end rather than at the top as they are easier to move without damaging the unit. Ducks can be kept with chooks but they like to have some water to swim in.

Can you really keep ducks with chickens? Fantastic, I may get one.

Though I think I read somewhere that they turn everywhere muddy and shit constantly which put me off slightly. Though the chicken paddock is well scratched up anyway. Guess it can't look much worse. Can they climb ladders to get up into an eglu cube?

I think if you're keeping them in an allotment then a more secure all in one job may be more fox proof. Foxes can be prowling about in the day and especially at dusk so before lock up time.

Bit foxes can dig so put it on slabs if you can. Or slabs round the edge on the outside if you don't want the chooks on slabs.

Ducks do make a disgusting filthy mess. You might be better with just chucks from this angle. My friend keeps call ducks though, they are tiny so I can't imagine they make too much mess.

Ducks do make a hell of a mess and need water to at least dip their heads in and run down the back of their necks. Just a hen water fountain is not enough.

One duck on its own might well get bullied by hens too.

Definitely need a totally vermin proof run and hen house. We had rats in our garden living in and around our hen run. Eradicated them now but very unpleasant for the children.

Other than that having your own hens is fun. I enjoy ours - don't get a cockerel.

I can't imagine that chickens and ducks together in a confined space would be good. Chooks need to be as dry as possible - damp conditions just encourage parasites and disease.

Not a good idea at all to put ducks and chickens together in a combined space. start off with chickens (girls only) and see how you get on. Ducks poo and dig and it is cruel not to give them a little pond. Be prepared for 2 things:

1. foxes
2. chicken keeping is addictive. good luck

yes, its very addictive, I already want more !

Yes - ducks have to have water and chickens would drown in it...so it's not a good mix...