Backyard ducks vs chickens: 12-point comparison

Last Updated on October 22, 2024 by Aaron von Frank

Ducks vs chickens: which is the best option for backyard poultry? What are the pros and cons of each? Can you raise ducks and chickens together? This 12-point comparison will help you answer all your poultry questions so you can make the best choice for you! 

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Why we started producing our own eggs — and why you might also want to…

Many years ago (around 2009), The Tyrant proclaimed it was time for us to get some egg layers.

We love eggs and eat quite a few of them each week. However, since we’re pretty careful about what we eat, we don’t eat standard factory-farmed eggs.

Not surprisingly, truly free-ranging, foraging poultry living in sunlight produce eggs that have more Vitamin D and have much better levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. In our opinion, truly free-range eggs also taste better than standard factory-farmed eggs.

Sure, we care deeply about animal welfare issues as well, but you can be totally self-centered and still see how it makes sense to only eat eggs from healthy, outdoor-living animals.

Petunia the duck and her “secret” ingredient

Notice that we haven’t said “chicken eggs” yet? Well, there’s a reason for that…

Typically, when someone hears the word “egg,” they immediately get a mental image of a chicken. We used to think egg = chicken too, at least until we went to our friend Andrea’s house and ate the best crème brûlée we’ve ever had in our lives.

“What’s the secret ingredient,” asked The Tyrant. “Petunia,” said Andrea. “Petunia, the duck.”

As it turned out, Andrea had a backyard duck that produced one big, beautiful egg almost every day. She also had one female chicken, and the two animals were best friends.

Duck eggs? You can eat them? Do they taste good? “Yes” is the answer to all three questions, as we soon discovered.

Our default belief that chickens were the only viable option for producing healthy, delicious backyard eggs was shattered, and we began doing a deep dive researching the various egg-laying poultry species, how they were different, and which type of backyard poultry would be best for us.

We’ve now been proud duck parents for over a decade, learning a ton in the process. That doesn’t mean that chickens, geese, guineas, or other fowl don’t have a place in your backyard or homestead. It simply means that ducks are the best match for us.

Below, we’ll share everything you need to know to determine whether ducks or chickens (or both) are right for you!

Before diving into a ducks versus chickens comparison, a few important caveats and considerations:

Species’ distinctions and definitions:

All chickens are the same species, Gallus gallus domesticus. They’re “junglefowl” who originated in the hot, tropical climates of Southeast Asia. (Fun fact: due to their popularity with humans, chickens are now by far the most populous bird species on earth, with a population approaching 25 billion!)

Domesticated ducks are not as easy to categorize because there are two distinct, popular species:

1. Mallard-derived ducks, Anas platyrhynchos domesticus. Mallards are native to subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world but were first domesticated in Southeast Asia.

2. Muscovy ducks, Cairina moschata domestica. Muscovies are native to warm/tropical regions of the Americas (primarily Central America). However, they’re only native to southern Texas in the United States. Muscovies are useful warmer-climate ducks, but they’re actually considered a prohibited invasive species in most of the US. 

Therefore, we — and most backyard and pet duck people — raise Mallard-derived duck breeds. So from here on when we say “ducks” in this article, we’re specifically referring to Mallard-derived domesticated breeds, NOT Muscovies or wild Mallards.

Sweeping generalizations are impossible given breed variability

The next thing you should know when comparing chickens and ducks is that it’s difficult or impossible to make a sweeping generalization on some comparisons, just as it is impossible to say “cars are better than trucks.” It depends on your needs and it also depends on the specific breed of duck or chicken you’re referencing. Some are bred for meat production, egg production, sociability, beauty, etc.

However, in the ducks versus chickens comparison below, we hope to provide you with the general pros and cons of both animals. From there, you can take a deeper dive into specific breeds that might be best suited to your needs by referencing:

• Chicken breed comparison chart via Michigan State University, and
• Our duck breed comparison with a breed “calculator” to help you numerically determine the best duck breed(s) for you. 

Ducks vs chickens: 12-point comparison of backyard poultry

Below is a comparison of ducks vs chickens across 12 different factors that are likely to be most important for backyard poultry enthusiasts, homesteaders, and small farmers:

1. Egg production – ducks vs chickens

Key takeaway: Ducks lay more and larger eggs than chickens, plus their eggs are richer-flavored and more nutritious than chicken eggs.

Since duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs, it’s important to consider total egg yield based on weight rather than just total number of eggs. There is quite a bit of variability by breed, but you can expect 32-52 pounds of eggs per year from ducks versus 22-34 pounds of eggs per year from chickens.

Which breeds are the most productive egg layers?

• Ducks – Golden 300 Hybrid Layer and White Layer, which can lay 290-300 eggs/year. 
• Chickens – Australorp and Golden Comets, which can lay 300 eggs/year.

Important considerations:

Keep in mind that higher yearly egg production can also cause health problems in either ducks or chickens. That’s because it takes a lot of energy and nutrients to produce so many eggs, thus taxing their bodies and reproductive systems. However, your feed and management approaches can help reduce or increase yearly egg production.

Since our ducks are both pets AND production animals, we aim for fewer eggs and healthier, longer-lived birds. For health issues beyond our expertise or ability to treat at home, we take sick or injured ducks to our vet, rather than culling them. Thus, for us, keeping our ducks healthy is a financial investment that produces a better return on investment than getting the most eggs possible.

Our management approach may not be right for you though, and that’s ok. 

Deeper dive:

• What to feed ducks to maximize their health and longevity
• Duck eggs vs chicken eggs compared

2. Months to production, productive life, and lifespan

Key takeaway: Ducks and chickens start laying eggs at about the same age, but ducks maintain peak egg production for more years and live longer than chickens.

a. Months to production: how long until chickens or ducks lay their first eggs?

In general, chickens and ducks will start laying eggs at around the same age, with variability by species. Ranges: 16-24 weeks for first eggs in ducks versus 18-24 weeks for first eggs in chickens.

The season you get your poultry can also influence time to first egg production. For instance, if you get ducklings in the spring, you can expect to get your first eggs in late summer (usually around Week 20). However, if you get ducklings in the summer, you likely won’t get eggs until the following late winter-early spring, since low sunlight hours will cause hormonal shifts which impede egg production.

b. Productive life: how long can ducks and chickens lay eggs?

In general, ducks have a longer productive life than chickens. Ducks can maintain peak egg production for 2-3 years, whereas chickens will maintain peak production for 1-2 years.

For clarity, we’ve had ducks that are almost 10 years old lay eggs, they just lay far fewer per year than a young duck.

c. Lifespan: how long can ducks and chickens live?

Ducks typically live longer than chickens. Well cared for domestic ducks can live well into their teens and even as long as 20 years old. A chicken’s average lifespan is somewhere between 5-7 years, with a maximum of around 10 years.

On average, males in both species live longer than females since their bodies are not taxed by the process of egg production. The oldest ducks in our flock are about 10 years old.  

Deeper dive:

• What to expect as your ducks get older
• How to tell if your ducks are laying eggs

3. Meat production

Key takeaway: There is a high degree of breed variability, but ducks and chickens bred for meat production generally finish at around the same weight within the same time frame. Duck meat is generally more gamey than chicken meat, and can even approximate red meat.

Meat ducks versus chickens

From hatching to butchering weight:

• meat ducks can finish in 6-9 weeks (ranging from 6-10 pounds), and
• meat chickens can take 8-20 weeks to finish (ranging from 10-12 pounds).

What are the best breeds of ducks and chickens for meat?

• Ducks – Pekins (and Pekin hybrids), Aylesbury, Rouen, Silver Appleyard. Mentioned earlier, but Muscovies and hybrid Mallard-Muscovy mules known as Moulards are also excellent meat ducks, albeit of a different species.
• Chickens – Cornish Cross, Jersey Giant, Red Broiler

Deeper dive: 

• Realizations from killing and eating an animal we raised ourselves

4. Healthcare & illness susceptibility

Key takeaway: Ducks are generally less prone to diseases and illnesses (especially in wet climates) than chickens, but it’s harder to find veterinary care for ducks than it is for chickens.

Probably owing to the ability of wild Mallards to fight off all sorts of pathogens and parasites found in and around water sources, domestic ducks tend to be more robust and less illness-prone than chickens. This is a generalization rife with exceptions. For instance, ducks are slightly more prone to neoplasia (including cancerous tumors) than chickens, by a rate of 11.6% to 9.4% (Harrison and Lightfoot. Clinical Avian Medicine Volume II, Spix Publishing, 2005).

Also, these general distinctions may not apply to all breeds and all circumstances. For instance:

• Larger duck and chicken breeds are more prone to leg and joint injuries than smaller breeds.
• Breeds bred for maximum egg production are more likely to have reproductive-related injuries and illnesses (like egg binding and metabolic diseases) than breeds that produce fewer eggs per year. However, you can reduce the annual egg production of any breed via your feed regimen and other management practices.

If your aim is production-focused and you cull sick or injured birds, the relative robustness and longevity of an animal you don’t intend to keep for many years may not matter to you. However, many backyard poultry owners like us also view their poultry as pets, and will provide or seek medical intervention for them when necessary.

If and when veterinary care is needed, it’s usually easier to find vets (including farm vets) credentialed and experienced in providing care for chickens than for ducks. In the veterinary world, both species are considered “exotics,” which means their care is also fairly expensive relative to cats and dogs.

Deeper dive:

• Duck health guide: first aid kit, common ailments, and more
• How to treat bumblefoot in ducks – safely, effectively, and humanely
• How to treat egg binding and make a duck go broody
• How to orally medicate a duck with pills or syringes (with video)

5. Climate adaptability

Key takeaway: Ducks can thrive in a wider range of climates than chickens — and they’re especially hardy in wetter, cooler climates.

Ducks are the all-terrain vehicle of the poultry world. If it’s wet and cold outside, your ducks will be in heaven, but your chickens will likely be taking shelter. When it’s warm and sunny, both ducks and chickens will be happy.

Wild Mallards are migratory waterfowl suited to a wide range of environmental conditions, and domestic ducks have inherited this adaptability. There are chickens bred for more extreme environments, so no matter what type of fowl you get, consider breed characteristics when selecting for unusual/extreme environments. Likewise, duck breeds like Runners will do better in dryer and warmer climates than other ducks.

Deeper dive:

• Top-10 summer care tips for backyard ducks
• Duck winter care tips from cold climate poultry parents

6. Housing & living areas

Key takeaway: Ducks and chickens both need safe coops and other infrastructure to protect them from predators. Chickens may need to have their wing feathers clipped to keep them contained whereas ALL domestic duck breeds are flightless.

a. Coops

Both ducks and chickens need to be put into a safe, predator-proof coop at night regardless of whether they’re in an urban or rural environment.

The differences between coop needs for ducks vs chickens:

• Mallard-derived ducks sleep on the ground whereas chickens roost on above-ground perches. (Muscovy ducks perch similar to chickens, but still lay eggs on the ground.)
• Small flocks of ducks often form a single communal nest in a sheltered area of their coop. However, plenty of duck parents we know say their ducks just lay eggs haphazardly on the ground in their coop (laying/nesting behaviors may vary by type of bedding used and other factors). Regardless, duck coops don’t have to have laying boxes. However, most chicken coops include individual laying boxes close to their roosts.

There’s not much difference between ducks and chickens when it comes to coop space needs. While there is some variance based on breed size, duck coops should provide ​​2-6 square feet of space per duck whereas chicken coops should provide 3-5 square feet per chicken. The larger the breed and the more time they’ll spend in their coop (example: cold climates), the more space they should have.

Both ducks and chickens can be trained to go into their coops before dark with a sound or call associated with their favorite treats. Ducks also herd very easily with a long stick, whereas chickens do not. Herding sticks are how we get our ducks into their coops at night — and how we herd them around our gardens while they’re out foraging.

b. Runs

To completely eliminate predation risk, many backyard poultry owners keep their birds in protected runs during the day before putting them back in their coops at night. This is where the animals will spend their entire lives, so if you go this route, the more space and entertainment you can provide the better.

When it comes to space requirements for runs, chickens have the advantage because they can do better with less square footage. There’s no hard-and-fast rule on run square footage, but we recommend 125 square feet for two ducks for a high quality of life. Even then, we also recommend letting your ducks out of their run with adult human supervision for additional exploration and foraging when possible.

c. Fencing and flight

If not kept in a run or moveable poultry tractor, both ducks and chickens need to be confined to a fenced area, ideally with some form of overhead protection. Fencing helps provide some protection from ground predators but less so for aerial predators. Fencing also keeps your poultry from running away or getting lost.

Our ducks spend their days in a backyard filled with edible perennial plants that is surrounded by a 6’ tall fence. The large plants and fencing make it very difficult for daytime aerial predators to have a clear visual runway to swoop in when our ducks are out of their coop. Most mammalian predators are nocturnal. Thus, knock on wood, we’ve never lost a single duck to a predator after more than a decade of raising them in our system.

Domestic ducks are not good flyers so there’s no chance of them flying off or over a fence. Depending on the breed, chickens can be good flyers and may need to have their wings regularly clipped to keep them flightless and contained within a fenced area.

Deeper dive:

• How to build a long-lasting predator-proof duck coop and run
• How to herd ducks, aka get your ducks in a row
• What’s the best bedding/litter for your duck coop or run?

7. Water needs

Key takeaway: Ducks have greater water needs than chickens in order to maintain ideal health and happiness.

Minimum water requirements for ducks and chickens

At a minimum, ducks need to be able to dip their heads underwater to clean out their nares/nostrils or they’ll become clogged and infected. This means you’ll at least need to have very large and deep water bowl(s) if you get ducks.

Chickens can do just fine with only a water nipple dripper.

Do ducks need a pool?

Chickens don’t need a pool. They take dust baths in sand/soil. However, ducks clean themselves in water, which helps them maintain ideal feather health and remove mites.

We can attest that ducks also derive a great deal of joy and happiness by playing and splashing in water throughout the day. As with wild Mallards, being able to regularly float in water takes weight off of their legs and feet, helping them be less injury-prone. Also, having access to clean, cool swimming water is especially helpful for ducks on hot summer days.

Thus, while ducks don’t have to have a swimming pool, they’ll be much healthier and happier if they do. Most new duck owners opt for a small baby pool, but things tend to get messy rather quickly when they dump the dirty water every few days. This issue helps explain why ducks get a reputation as being dirty, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

For instance, we detail how to build a relatively low-maintenance, self-cleaning backyard duck pond that utilizes beneficial bacteria, duck-proofed aquatic plants, and filter pads to keep the water clean.

8. Feed needs & costs

Key takeaway: Chickens eat less than ducks. It’s also harder to find pre-blended, species-appropriate feed for ducklings and mature ducks than it is for chickens at local stores. Waterfowl/duck-specific feed is generally more expensive than chicken feed. It’s also extremely difficult or even possible to find USDA certified organic duck feed (in breeder and maintenance formulations) whereas it’s not hard to find organic chicken feed.

Another important nutritional difference between species: ducks need much higher levels of niacin than chickens. Niacin is not something found in chicken feed at levels that ducklings and ducks require.

How much does a duck eat?

A domestic duck eats about 5-7 ounces of feed per day (about 3 pounds per week) depending on their breed size and whether they’re laying eggs. When laying, they’ll eat more to compensate for egg production.

A popular duck/waterfowl feed we’ve used for many years based on our avian vet’s recommendation is Mazuri Waterfowl, which can now be purchased via online vendors like Chewy.com that deliver right to your door. Mazuri Waterfowl comes in breeder, maintainer, and starter formulations.

Mazuri costs about $50 per 50 lb bag or about $1 per pound, meaning it costs us about $3 per week per duck to feed them during egg laying season. Our ducks also forage and we give them lots of daily garden treats, so this is probably a high feed cost estimate.

How much does a chicken eat?

A laying chicken eats about 4 ounces of feed per day (about 1.75 pounds per week); a little less for roosters and non-laying hens. Given the popularity and demand for chickens, it’s fairly easy to find chicken feed for less than $1/pound, e.g. it usually costs less to feed chickens than ducks with a comparable quality of feed.

However, as detailed previously, duck eggs are larger, more nutritious, and (in our opinion) better flavored than chicken eggs. Thus, you should also make a qualitative comparison here, not just a quantitative comparison. 

Deeper dive:

• Duck eggs vs chicken eggs: how do they compare?
• Complete guide: How to raise ducklings (and what to feed them)
• What to feed ducks to maximize their health and longevity

9. Foraging ability / pest control

Key takeaway: Both ducks and chickens are excellent foragers and pest control animals, but chickens can do more damage to a landscape than ducks since they scratch and dig while foraging.

Foraging differences and commonalities between ducks and chickens:

• Ducks do not scratch the soil with their flippers and claws while foraging. Instead, they use their bills like a little plough to forage and find prey in the top 1-2” of soil. However, chickens scratch and dig with their feet and peck with their beaks when foraging.
• Both ducks and chickens can cause considerable damage to lawns, gardens, and landscapes if left unchecked, but chickens can cause more damage due to their foraging habits.
• In spacious, rich foraging grounds, ducks and chickens can get a high percentage of their nutritional needs met exclusively through foraging, but free-ranging makes them more susceptible to diurnal (daytime) predators.

What do ducks forage?

Ducks are omnivores. When foraging in our yard/gardens, our ducks eat insects, mollusks (snails and slugs are a favorite), arachnids, worms (another favorite), lizards, small snakes, small frogs and toads (which we try to hinder), and pretty much anything that moves and can fit into their bills.

Ducks also love foraging seasonal leafy greens and weeds. Ours have developed an informed intuition about what greens are edible versus not in our landscape. For instance, one of our ducks’ very favorite foods in the world is chickweed (Stellaria media), a tasty edible green for humans as well, but one considered a noxious weed by most homeowners who desire a monoculture turf grass lawn.

Deeper dive:

• Top 11 garden plants for ducks and chickens
• 5 tips to keep your ducks from destroying your lawn or garden

10. Susceptibility to predators

Key takeaway: Ducks and chickens are both highly susceptible to predation in both rural and urban environments. Predator pressure in urban environments is usually worse than in rural environments due to higher population densities of certain predators like raccoons.

Is bigger better when it comes to reducing poultry predation?

Larger breeds of ducks such as Pekins are less susceptible to some aerial predators than smaller duck breeds (or chickens). By “some” we mean smaller birds of prey like hawks, not larger aerial predators like eagles.

In short, larger size does not buy your poultry predator-proofing abilities. For instance, we’ve had multiple friends whose geese were killed by predators, including one by a raccoon in an urban backyard. If you want a bird whose size makes it predator-proof, get an adult emu or ostrich, not ducks or chickens.

The only way to protect your poultry from predators is with coops, runs, and other predator-proofing practices.

Deeper dive:

• 17 tips to keep your ducks safe from predators

11. Temperament and pet potential

Key takeaway: With regular handling and treats starting at a young age, both ducks and chickens can become quite comfortable with humans — even to the point of being considered pets.

Poultry: pets that make you breakfast 

If you want a pet that produces your breakfast, both chickens and ducks have great potential. Here again, there is wide variability by breed when it comes to temperament. There is also wide variability by individuals within a breed when it comes to poultry pet potential.

For instance, Saxony, Silver Appleyard, Welsh Harlequin, Pekins, and Black Swedish round out the list of the most calm and social duck breeds, whereas White Crested and Khaki Campbell rank at the bottom. (We dive more deeply into this topic in our duck breed comparison article.)

However, you still might have individual Khakis who are much calmer and more sociable than one of your Saxonies. Likewise, some of our Welsh Harlequins are more amenable to handling than others even though they’re all the same breed. The sweetest duck we’ve ever been owned by is a young rescue Pekin named Piper (short for bagpipe, with her naming due to her incredible vocal abilities.)

Of course, how you raise your poultry and how dedicated you are to continuously reinforcing pro-social behaviors with their humans makes a huge difference if you want to cultivate pet poultry!

Deeper dive:

• How to get your ducks to like you: 3 tips
• 9 tips & tricks for keeping indoor pet ducks
• Is it safe to raise human babies and kids around ducks?
• How to diaper a duck w/ instructional video

12. Noise

Key takeaway: Female ducks are much louder than female chickens, but male chickens are much louder than male ducks.

Backyard duck noise

Throughout the day our female ducks are mostly quiet, albeit chatty with each other. When they’re in “normal” mode, our next door neighbors can’t hear a thing.

However, when our ducks want to get our attention or get another duck’s attention, our neighbors three doors down will know about it. That’s because ducks are basically feathered bagpipes.

When are our ducks loudest?

• When we’re not on schedule, ergo when we’re late letting them out of the coop in the morning or we’re late letting them out of their backyard for their nightly foraging adventures.
• When they’re out of food.
• When something is wrong. For instance, when something startles them or there’s a snake around. Our ducks actually have a specific loud alarm vocalization for snakes, which alerts us to the presence of a snake in their yard.

On the opposite end of the sound spectrum are drakes (male ducks). Even when our two drakes are most animated, they can only summon sounds akin to a raspy frog, not something that would raise the ire of a neighbor.

Backyard chicken noise

Chicken sexes are the opposite of ducks when it comes to noise… Everyone is familiar with how loud a rooster’s crow can be. And that sound won’t make you popular with urban neighbors despite the fact that those same neighbors are somehow tolerant of leaf blowers, lawn mowers, dog barks, etc. In fact, many cities do not allow roosters within city limits.

On the other hand, female chickens are comparatively quiet. They regularly chat and cluck with each other throughout the day, but generally don’t make vocalizations that will irritate neighbors — even when they’re loudest during morning egg laying.

Ducks vs chickens: which is best… for you?

If you’ve read our 12-point comparison between ducks and chickens above, hopefully you now realize that there is no universal answer to the question: which is best? The better question is which poultry species is best for YOU?

And if you’re wondering whether you can raise ducks and chickens together (or even other species like guineas and geese) the answer is: yes! However, raising multiple poultry species together that have different nutritional needs, sleeping arrangements, space requirements, noise levels, etc. requires more thought, planning, and effort.

Our recommendation? Start with one species and get the hang of things before taking on the added complexity of raising multiple poultry species at the same time. When you’re ready to take a deeper dive into that topic, check out Raising mixed species poultry together: tips & advice. 

We hope this ducks vs chickens comparison has been helpful for you! Now you have a clearer picture of the pros and cons of both species and which one(s) is right for you! For a quick visual summary of this article, check out the Google Web Story video version of ducks vs chickens! 

KIGI,

Think you’re ready to get ducks? Additional recommended reading:

• 10 things you should know before you get ducks
• Will you save money on eggs by raising your own poulry?
• Dave Holderread’s Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks
• Kimberly Link’s The Ultimate Pet Duck Guide Book

… and more duck articles from Tyrant Farms!

Diagram: ducks vs chickens

P.S. Here’s a popular ducks vs chickens diagram we created from the original version of this article that you can share on Pinterest: