re: Educate Me on Neighborhood Backyard Chicken Coop

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Ducks are easier to keep

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Yes and no. There isn't near as big of a problem with diseases as there is with chickens. And the messier the better as far as ducks are concerned.

But the mess. Dear Lord the mess. I tried keeping ducks with my chickens when I first got them and it was a mistake. Projectile liquid poop everywhere. They made a wreck of the coop and I eventually culled them after a couple of months. Whatever setup you get for the ducks, make sure you can hose out the coop. It will make your life much easier. You also have to make sure they get enough niacin in their diet or they will have leg problems. It isn't a big deal if you are feeding them a duck or wild game food. If you are using chicken feed though you'll have to supplement which isn't hard or expensive, just an extra step.

That being said, I enjoyed the ducks much more than the chickens. Watching those goofy birds waddle around and interact with everything was a lot of fun.