![]() Waterfowl should be given ample space in terms of water, so you can avoid bullying problems among geese and ducks. In this case, an added benefit will be that your ducks, who will undoubtedly make a watery mess of their area (be it a pond or sunken-in trough), won’t dirty up your chickens’ water, feeders and dirt bath areas. For example, a large feature will keep ducks away from your chickens, although they may be in the same fenced area. To limit bullying problems, it’s wise to make sure each species has its own areas to hang out around. Two or three species should be your limit unless you happen to have a massive amount of space.Īll The Answers To Every Chicken Question And Quandary … First off, limit how many species you are going to mix. If you are set on making your mixed flock work, you will need to do some homework. These three disadvantages are just the most common reasons why mixed flocks aren’t a good idea if you don’t seriously take planning and diet into consideration. Each species must eat a species-appropriate diet, which can be very tricky in a mixed flock. This will quickly lead to malnutrition, deformities and even death. Oddly enough, many people with mixed flocks just throw out one type of feed. If they only have turkeys, they will buy a turkey food. Typically, if someone has one type of fowl, say chickens, they will buy chicken food. Malnutrition is simply a condition of livestock not receiving the proper nutrients in their food. In reality, livestock can be malnourished even if they visually look well-fed and healthy, even overweight. There is a common misconception that malnutrition always coincides with being underweight. Simply put, keeping species separate gives you bio-security against disease and allows more efficient treatment of illness and parasites.ģ. Something like a respiratory issue in a chicken flock can be more easily treated than a mixed flock with the same problem. Secondly, some species are more susceptible to diseases than others. This is the main reason hatcheries and breeders often stress to keep these birds separate. For example, chickens are carriers of blackhead disease. First off, some fowl act as a disease carrier between species. There are a couple of specific issues with disease. The next common problem with a mixed flock is disease and illness. While some species get along together naturally, like ducks and geese, you can quickly run into problems when it comes to a big size difference like turkeys and chickens. Fowl, in particular, can be quite territorial and aggressive a simple Google search will show you numerous threads in forums in which people with just one flock of chickens need help with bullying problems. Bullying is easily the most common problem of keeping different animals of any type together. If you are seriously thinking about combining different species, consider these three potential problems:ġ. Unfortunately, keeping different species together can easily become a problem. There are many reasons people decide to keep different species of fowl together, but generally it comes down to saving space and saving money. Watching the interactions and behaviors between species can be quite fun and even educational. Entertainment: Entertainment may seem like a funny advantage, but just like aesthetics, it can be a huge advantage for some people. Chickens and ducks will eat some grass, but geese are excellent grazers.ĥ. A few ducks will take care of the slugs, however. For example, chickens are great for keeping insects in check but may not eat pests like slugs. Beneficial for land: Keeping a mixed flock may benefit your property as each species contributes something. This can be very tempting if you are building your pens or other structures from scratch.ĭiatomaceous Earth: The All-Natural Livestock De-WormerĤ. The above advantage also can mean that keeping a mixed flock can save you money in terms of building materials and fencing. You may be able to keep the fowl in one coop or at least have them share a yard/pasture/pond/etc.ģ. Depending on the species you are keeping, you can save space by keeping fowl together. While this alone isn’t a good reason to keep different species together, it is important to some.Ģ. Many people find a mixed flock to be very visually pleasing. ![]() Some common reasons people want a mixed flock includes:ġ. If you’re considering keeping different species of fowl or poultry together, there are a few advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind. Unfortunately, a mixed flock may be more trouble than it’s worth. There is nothing quite as picturesque as a farmyard setting with chickens, ducks and perhaps a turkey or two wandering around. ![]()
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