How MEAN are your ducks?

My mother has a ever fluctuating flock of ducks that she got from McMurry Hatchery a year ago and they are mean to any duck that looks different! The flock is mostly Pekins, 3 ducks-1 drake, a Khaki Campbell (?), and a Cayuga duck (that was mine). Back before the winter and the minx, she had a Crested called Einstein that the rest of the flock isolated and picked on, even though she grew up with them. It was so bad I had to separate her and nurse her back to health. However, the Cayugas I introduced ended to her flock did fine after a few weeks.....

Today, she tried to introduce two ducks 4-5wks (one probably a special needs Crested drake) and a Cayuga mix, and during family dinner my brother had to intervene because the Pekins ganged up on the poor crested! They pinned him down and everything. The Cayuga baby loves the Crested because they were raised together, but it gets caught in the middle when the Pekins attack. I don't know if they will ever both be able to be in the big pen because I am afraid the will seriously get hurt. However, they can't stay in the small pen forever since three newly hatched babies will need to go in there in a couple weeks.

What do I do? My flock has always been fairly good with "outsiders", within a few days they are accepted. But I am going to be breeding next year and already have an oddball. Is there anything I can do to help them? What is going to happen when her other ducklings are old enough to be in the big pen?

Has anyone else had this problem? Is it a breed thing? Help?!

Its not a breed thing...i had a khaki campbell hen, a pekin drake, 2 cayuga hens, and a pair of rouens, they were friendly and accepted other fowl readily...i wonder why yours are some mean.......hope this helped a little good luck

Is there a size difference? I'm new to ducks though and don't really have any advice. Maybe wait till they are a bit bigger and try again.

Yeah, I was thinking she could try again when they are bigger. It's the fact that these Pekins are repeat offenders at being bullies...the others aren't soo bad. I have seen plenty of Pekins that are sweet, but all of my Mother's ducks are such finicky brats. I just with her ducks weren't such jerks. I don't have the room to take other ducks in and keep them separated from the breeding stock...I just feel so bad for little Fluffernutter.

Actually, the new ducks are almost 8wks old! They are still smaller than the Pekins, but almost full grown and still being picked on.

Have you tried incorporating some positive/negative reinforcement?

Amykins said:

Have you tried incorporating some positive/negative reinforcement?

Click to expand...

Not really, I desensitized my ducks and trained them to come, but that is about it. As far as the flock in question, the ducks are super skittish, I could sit there not moving all day and they would never get very close...

I am having a similar problem with my ducks. I have 1 pekin (hen), 4 anconas (hens) , 2 welsh harlequins (drake and hen), and two blue swedish (drake and hen). The welsh harlequins are the youngest in the flock and are now the same size as my 4 month old anconas. The pekin and two blue swedish are older. the pekin gets along with everyone really well. She is also the friendliest duck I have since I had to nurse her back to health when she was just a duckling. when I introduced the 2 harlequins to the rest of my ducks the anconas ganged up on them and pecked at them violently. I had to put them back in their seperate pen. The anconas have grown use to the harlequins over time, but every once in awhile will chase them away. the blue swedish hen seems indifferent, but the drake continues to chase and try to attack them. I have tried negatively renforcing this behavior, but he will not leave them alone. All of the other ducks get along well but for some reason the harlequins are singled out.