When most homesteaders think of getting poultry for any purpose, the very first birds that spring to mind are chickens, naturally. And that’s with good reason! Chickens are cheap, highly productive, generally easy to care for, and a cinch to keep even if you have a small backyard.
But ducks are also quite popular, historically and today, and they are really gaining steam in terms of popularity lately. They can, after all, offer you the same things that your chickens do in the form of meat and eggs.
For this reason, some people think they are broadly interchangeable when it comes to care and keeping, but there are major differences that you need to know about before you bring home a flock.
I’ll be comparing every aspect that these two species share in this article so you can make a well-informed decision.
| Chickens | Ducks | |
| Size | Generally smaller, 5.25-6 lbs on average | Generally larger, 6.25-8 lbs on average |
| Space Requirements | 8-10 sq ft run, 4 sq ft coop per bird | 10-15 sq ft run, 5-6 sq ft house per bird |
| Shelter | Elevated coop, roosting bars, nesting boxes | Ground-level, no roosts, open shelter |
| Water Requirements | Drinking water only | Drinking, eating, cleaning, swimming |
| Dietary Requirements | Omnivores, lower protein and niacin needs | Omnivores, higher protein and niacin needs |
| Cleanliness | Messy | Extremely messy, especially with water |
| Climate Tolerance | Good cold tolerance, better heat tolerance | Excellent cold tolerance, less heat tolerant |
| Vulnerability to Predation | More vulnerable overall, better chances of escape | Less vulnerable generally if on water, easier prey on land |
| Noise Factor | Noisy during day, quiet at night | Quieter overall, but active at night |
| Friendliness | Can be friendly, some breeds standoffish | Generally friendlier, more likely to bond with humans |
| Egg Differences | Smaller, 2 oz, oval shape | Larger, 3 oz, more elongated |
| Egg Output | Many breeds lay 300+ eggs/year | Generally fewer, some breeds match chickens |
| Lifespan | Up to 6 to 10 years on average | 8 to12 years on average |
Size
On average, chickens are smaller than ducks and weigh less, usually between 5 1/4 and 6 lb on average. Your average domestic duck, in contrast, usually weighs between 6 1/4 and 8 lb.
But, there are exceptions on both ends of the spectrum for both breeds. Bantams might weigh only a pound or a little more, while tiny ducks like the diminutive and noisy Call breed might weigh no more than a couple of pounds.
Large breed chickens like the Jersey Giant or Malay can easily clear 10 lb, while big ducks like German Pekins or Muscovies will weigh about the same or even heavier.
Space Requirements
As a rule of thumb, always plan on ducks needing more room than chickens inside their shelter, in the run, and on your property when allowed to free-range.
As a general guideline, your average chicken will need around 8 to 10 square feet of space in the run, per adult bird, and four square feet of coop space.
Ducks need significantly more space in their coop, anywhere from 10 to 15 square feet per adult bird in a run, and five or six square feet per adult in their house (the common term for a duck shelter).
And as always, more is better for preventing stress, lowering cleaning requirements, and improving overall well-being. For both species, larger individuals or breeds will need even more room, whereas you can get by with less room for smaller breeds.
Shelter
The first major difference we encounter when comparing the two poultry birds is their shelter requirements.
Chickens generally need a slightly elevated shelter that has elevated roosting bars for sleeping on the inside. That’s because chickens instinctively seek out higher ground when they go to bed at sundown.
Chickens, given any other choice, are not active at night. A good chicken coop will also feature nesting boxes so that hens can have a safe and consistent place to lay their eggs.
Ducks, on the other hand, are happy to sleep at ground level and can make do with a simple structure that doesn’t need roost bars and usually won’t need nesting boxes either.
Domestic ducks tend to lay eggs in out-of-the-way places or anywhere else that gets the hen’s attention.
However, ducks are typically active at night because they take periodic naps throughout the day. You shouldn’t shut ducks up inside a shelter at nightfall if you can avoid it because this can make them anxious and antsy.
An open three-sided shelter with overhead protection or a four-sided shelter with an easily accessible duck door is perfect for them, but this has other consequences we’ll have to deal with later.
Water Needs
Chickens and ducks both need water to live, of course. Both species must have access to an unlimited supply of drinking water in order to stay hydrated.
But as expected, ducks have even greater water requirements than chickens do because they need water in order to eat properly, clean themselves, and swim.
This doesn’t mean you need a lake or even a pond on your property, though the latter is great to have. You’ll need a small water feature or pool, or at the very least an in-ground water trough, that your ducks have unlimited access to.
You’ll notice ducks taking and dipping their food in the water to help them swallow it and routinely dunking their heads and bodies to help them stay clean and take care of their feathers.
Chickens don’t take conventional baths but instead take dust baths. They greatly prefer to avoid being immersed in water if they can avoid it.
Dietary Requirements
Both species are omnivores and eat a similar diet that consists of insects, grains, seeds, and plant matter. Ducks will also eat a wide variety of aquatic organisms, snails, slugs, and so on.
Nutritionally optimized feed is, as always, a great choice for both birds. Chickens can eat duck feed, and ducks can eat chicken feed with no ill effects as long as it’s not medicated, but neither is ideal for the other.
Specifically, ducks need more protein and a lot more niacin, or vitamin B3, compared to chickens.
It’s possible for ducks to subsist on non-medicated chicken feed as long as you give them supplemental protein and niacin to help make up the difference, though this practice is generally discouraged by seasoned duck keepers.
Cleanliness
I’ve got bad news for you here: both species are pretty messy as they poop often left and right. Left to their own devices without your intervention, both will turn their shelter and their run, and any other places they frequent, into a stinking, mucky mess.
But if you thought chickens were bad, you haven’t seen anything yet: ducks are incredibly messy. They splash water everywhere when they are eating and grooming, and when they take a dip in the pond or pool and get out, they will track water everywhere.
Mud and mold are two constant problems you’ll have to stay on top of if you’ve got ducks.
Climate Tolerance
Both of these birds are famously tolerant of cold weather, but ducks have the edge. They have a thicker layer of fat for insulation, generally, and their feathers are supremely waterproof.
This means that most ducks are more than comfortable well below freezing, and as long as they have a dry shelter to retreat to, you won’t have much to worry about…
You’ll need to pay more attention to chickens when the temperature dips towards freezing, but they are more tolerant of high temperatures compared to ducks.
Most chickens do okay at 80°F / 26°C or a little warmer, but keep an eye on ducks that are outside in the sun at the same temperature and ensure they have access to water for swimming so they can cool down.
Providing shade is a must for both species.
Vulnerability to Predation
More bad news: both chickens and ducks are highly vulnerable to ground-bound and flying predators, but chickens tend to stay on the menu more often.
All sorts of critters like foxes, coyotes, raccoons, possums, domestic dogs, snakes, birds of prey, mountain lions, bears, and more will love nothing more than to make a meal of either bird, though smaller predators like raccoons and snakes typically prey on chicks, ducklings, and eggs.
The larger size of ducks may prove a deterrent to some of the smaller birds of prey, and if they have access to a substantial water feature, they will readily take to the water to escape terrestrial predators.
However, they are clumsier and slower on land compared to chickens, and so are an easier target if they aren’t on the water.
Noise Factor
Both of these birds are noisy, though you’ll have to pick your poison depending on your preferences.
Chickens, particularly roosters, tend to be very chatty during the day, though this varies from breed to breed and flock to flock. Ducks tend to be quieter overall, but because they are active at night, you’ll have to listen to them quack and hiss even during hours of darkness.
Somewhat surprisingly, it is female ducks that tend to be a lot noisier than males. This is because females are more social and spend more time communicating with their flockmates and also with their humans.
Friendliness
Chickens and ducks can be quite friendly with people, given proper upbringing and interaction.
Once again, breed differences play a big part here: some chicken breeds are famous for friendliness, like the Buff Orpington and Faverolles. Ducks, though, tend to be friendlier and closer with their people than chickens are, all things being equal.
If you spend a lot of time with and baby your ducks, don’t be surprised when they follow you around whenever they can see you. In contrast, chickens are more likely to be standoffish or keep to themselves even if they do like you.
This is just a rough guideline, though, and you’ll find that individual birds and flocks have their own personalities and preferences in this regard.
Egg Differences
For so many keepers of ducks or chickens, eggs are the number one reason why they got into poultry in the first place.
Both can be great choices if you want a steady supply of the freshest and best-tasting eggs you’ve ever tried, but there are still considerable differences you’ll need to know about.
Egg Characteristics, Shape, and Size
Chicken eggs, as a rule, are smaller than duck eggs and are usually a little lighter, averaging around 2 oz. They have a tapering, oval shape with gently domed ends.
Duck eggs are bigger, though, they weigh around 3 oz or a little more, and are noticeably more elongated with a prominently rounded narrow end. Duck eggs are also more commonly colorful or speckled compared to chicken eggs.
Duck eggs have a markedly richer taste compared to those from their chicken cousins, and this is due to higher amounts of fat and protein.
Output
Chickens and ducks vary a little bit when it comes to output, and most chicken breeds are more prolific layers than your average duck.
Leghorns, Australorps, and Orpingtons can lay upwards of 300 eggs yearly for the first few years of their life as long as they are in good health. Still, some birds might stop laying in the wintertime when days get shorter.
Most duck breeds are not that prolific, though some, like the Khaki Campbell, can clear 300 eggs a year. Most ducks are also more likely to lay eggs year-round; something to consider if you’re worried about a winter stoppage.
Lifespan
The lifespan of these two bird species is similar, on average, but ducks tend to live a little longer. Most chickens will top out at around 10 years old, though those living older than that and in relatively good health are hardly uncommon.
Your average domestic duck breed will live between 8 and 12 years, or even older, in ideal conditions. However, some duck breeds, like the American Pekin, are known for a relatively short lifespan, around 6 years on average.
Raising Chickens and Ducks Together
All in all, it is possible to raise adult ducks and chickens together as long as you take care of the shelter and space requirements for each.
Trying to keep them in the same shelter, unless it is an oversized coop or a small barn, is probably not worth it considering how messy ducks are. They’ll make the bedding inside wet, and that will cause problems for your chickens, and fast.
Something else to worry about are pecking order issues between the two breeds, specifically if your chickens have one or more roosters in the flock.
Under no circumstances should you allow hens from either species to raise young in a mixed flock; ducks are likely to trample chicks due to their greater size, and aggression between protective parents is common.
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