# Ducks in with sheep or goats?



## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

I just bought my daughter two 2 day old ducklings. They will be in their own cage for at least 2 months. I have a large pen for my 3 goats and another one for my 2 sheep.
I was hoping to clip the ducks' wings and let them roam freely during the day in one of the pens. I would put a little pool in there for them to swim in and keep it clean so the other animals don't eat/drink duck poop. Any ideas on whether or not that would be a problem? I can certainly make them a little pen, but the corrals are so much bigger for them to roam around in. I would have to keep the duck food separate from the goats, but just wondering how to do that.
Thanks for any advice!


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## mom47371 (Feb 10, 2010)

Build a little box that the ducks can get into,but the goats/sheep cant, like a little doghouse or dog igloo and stash their food and water in it..OR u could just let them all roam freely together, thats what we do with ours, and u would be surprised at how much your duckies will enjoy the hay and stuff u feed the other animals


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

mom47371 said:


> Build a little box that the ducks can get into,but the goats/sheep cant, like a little doghouse or dog igloo and stash their food and water in it..OR u could just let them all roam freely together, thats what we do with ours, and u would be surprised at how much your duckies will enjoy the hay and stuff u feed the other animals


So do you give them duck feed or just let them scrounge around for bugs, etc? I was thinking I could keep their food in their cage so they have it from the time they go in at night until they are back in the corral in the morning.
Would you recommend the sheep or goat pen?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I don't have sheep, but the goats do ok with ducks. If you feed whole grain or pellets to the sheep and/or goats, the ducks will clean up spilled feed. Otherwise, give the ducks a small light in their night pen and feed at night. Once the ducks are in the habit of going into their own pen at night, they will go in automatically, but you'll have to remember to close the gate or they'll come back out.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Cyngbaeld said:


> I don't have sheep, but the goats do ok with ducks. If you feed whole grain or pellets to the sheep and/or goats, the ducks will clean up spilled feed. Otherwise, give the ducks a small light in their night pen and feed at night. Once the ducks are in the habit of going into their own pen at night, they will go in automatically, but you'll have to remember to close the gate or they'll come back out.


Thanks! Great advice.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

What kind of ducks did you get her? If they're anything but flying mallards or 'scovies, then you likely won't have to clip wings. 

You will want to feed them outside of the sheep/goat pen, in an area that they can access but the goats can't. You don't necessarily have to provide separate housing or a separate pen, but build a covered area that the goats/sheep can't get to OR destroy in their attempt to get at the feed.


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## xoxoGOATSxoxo (Jul 29, 2006)

Hmm. I'm imagining our sheep.... they arent careful where they walk when they are spooked. And ducks dont get out of the way very quickly. 

I'm not sure about goats... Our chickens hang out with the goats, and the goats hate them, but the chickens are fast enough to get out of the way. 

But other people dont seem to have a problem.  Just another point of view.


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## mom47371 (Feb 10, 2010)

My ducks "free range" in the pasture but I also give them grain(corn, oats, etc.) Anything i feed my ducks, the others can eat too. and vivea versa, the ducks can eat whatever i feed the goats/sheep. The all love table scraps!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I tried putting the ducks with the goats & I didn't like it. They are too messy, they will also get the goats water mucked up too.
We Love having the ducks but they now have there own pen. They were in with our goats for a week. Make sure if you keep them together not to let the goats get the duck feed & you know how smart & tricky goats can be.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

To keep ducks out of the goat water, cut a hole in a panel and put the water trough on the other side. The other side of the panel is an area where chickens/ducks don't go... though they could if they wanted, they seem to not want to or realize they can, lol. I then keep the goat trough about 4" away from the panel, and the ducks have trouble mucking it up. For chicken water, I put a bin just the other side of the panel, so they reach through and drink there.  I currently have 7 ducks in with my goats, and it's working great. the poultry food is kept in the chicken coop, which the goats can't get into.

Ducks learn quick to get out of the way. Every once in a while I hear a protesting HONK from one of my 'scovy hens who didn't scoot fast enough. My ducks even nested in my barn last summer, and the goats were often chased away from their nests by ferocious scovy hens.


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