New Ducklings vs. 3 week old Ducklings (Aggression)

[bugheadmomma]

Hi. I received 4 ducklings (about a week old when I received them) on April 8th. Two pekins and two rouen. (Sex unknown so far.) It seems one of the rouen ducklings is male and the other female. The pekins are a bit of a mystery, but whatever they are seems to be the same and from what I can read it seems most likely they are female. Everything has been going well with the four originals and they're growing fast and seem happy and healthy.
The problem: Yesterday, we received three female white and fawn runners. Three days old. We know that they can not stay with the larger ducks at this time due to different heating needs, but we did let the older ducks see the ducklings when they first arrived while we set up a brooding box for the new three. My two rouen ducks tried to attack the new little ones. Biting, chasing, and before I could grab them all it looked like the female rouen was actually trying to eat one of the new ducklings. None of the older ducks reacted kindly, but only the female rouen went wild even though she's been extremely gentle up until today.
I am worried about introducing the ducklings to the older ducks in a few weeks. I have no idea how to get them to accept each other or how to curb the violence.

What is the correct way to introduce the older ducklings to the new ducklings to keep everyone safe and happy? And when would be the best time to do it?

 

[ExoticPetOwner]

The older ducks are attacking the little ones because they're unfamiliar with them, they're smaller, and that's generally what older and bigger ducks do. You shouldn't let the older ducks be with the younger ones until they're all the same size ( usually being an adult, feathered, and outside ), especially now. They need different food and heat compared to the older ducks. The younger ones can get seriously injured and stressed, more stressed if they're in a new environment and ducks. Just keep them separated for now, and re-introduce them slowly when they're much older.

 

[Luv Ducks]

My ducklings get introduced when they are 6 weeks old and fully feathered but once outside are kept where they can be seen but not touched. Due to it being mating season and me just getting my two Runners they will be kept separate until the fall when things calm down and they are old enough to be mated. Good luck with yours. Older Ducks sometimes don't even seem to realize they are ducks and will go after them when they are tiny.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I have 2 sets of ducklings, each in groups of 4, that are 2 weeks apart. The first group is 4 weeks old and the second is 2 weeks old. They’ve been living side by side in the same box for 2 weeks now but never had physical contact even though the older ones went crazy for them from day 1 and were just staring at them all lovingly. It was so cute! The older ones cry every time I remove a younger duckling from the box! Even though they seem to love each other and nibble on the hardware cloth partition between them, I am not integrating them for at least another week or two because I’m afraid the little ones will end up swimming and drowning in the big ones’ waterer and I have one little one whose legs seem a bit weak. Those big ones, when they start running in a group with their big feet, can easily trample the small ones. I’m waiting until the little ones are stronger and just playing it by ear. That’s what I would recommend. Although with your age difference (almost 4 weeks?), I’m not sure if that could happen until both are fully grown. They grow so fast that it’s hard for the little ones to catch up.

 

[Luv Ducks]

I have 2 sets of ducklings, each in groups of 4, that are 2 weeks apart. The first group is 4 weeks old and the second is 2 weeks old. They’ve been living side by side in the same box for 2 weeks now but never had physical contact even though the older ones went crazy for them from day 1 and were just staring at them all lovingly. It was so cute! The older ones cry every time I remove a younger duckling from the box! Even though they seem to love each other and nibble on the hardware cloth partition between them, I am not integrating them for at least another week or two because I’m afraid the little ones will end up swimming and drowning in the big ones’ waterer and I have one little one whose legs seem a bit weak. Those big ones, when they start running in a group with their big feet, can easily trample the small ones. I’m waiting until the little ones are stronger and just playing it by ear. That’s what I would recommend. Although with your age difference (almost 4 weeks?), I’m not sure if that could happen until both are fully grown. They grow so fast that it’s hard for the little ones to catch up.

I agree, I myself would wait until they have reached the 6 week point for the smaller ones before putting them together. I had one last summer jump into a water bucket and drown that I was using for the Momma Duck. I had no idea at being so little it could jump that high. I learned the hard way to keep them away from deep water. Good luck with yours.

 

[bugheadmomma]

Thank you all for your help. I’m keeping the three runner one week old ducklings indoors 99% of the time, but I do let them in the yard when the 4 weeks old ducks are foraging. My Pekins happily lounge with the new ducklings and one of my Rouens seems to want to share food with the new ducklings. One of the Rouens still seems aggressive but I’m always with the ducks when they are free ranging, so nothing can happen and none of them have even tried pecking the smaller ones since the first meeting. I’ll be keeping the youngest ones indoors for a few more weeks before they go outside in a run beside the older ducks and a couple weeks after that I hope to have them all living together. My new worry is the number of drakes because I believe my Pekins were wrongly sexed and they are both drakes, along with one of my Rouens also being a drake. Pure panic at this point!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thank you all for your help. I’m keeping the three runner one week old ducklings indoors 99% of the time, but I do let them in the yard when the 4 weeks old ducks are foraging. My Pekins happily lounge with the new ducklings and one of my Rouens seems to want to share food with the new ducklings. One of the Rouens still seems aggressive but I’m always with the ducks when they are free ranging, so nothing can happen and none of them have even tried pecking the smaller ones since the first meeting. I’ll be keeping the youngest ones indoors for a few more weeks before they go outside in a run beside the older ducks and a couple weeks after that I hope to have them all living together. My new worry is the number of drakes because I believe my Pekins were wrongly sexed and they are both drakes, along with one of my Rouens also being a drake. Pure panic at this point!

I am pretty sure by the way mine are growing that I have a boy and a girl. I just got them Saturday and already the one is growing way faster than the other and in the last three sets of two ducklings I bought I ended up with a boy and girl and the same thing happened. I hope you don't have drakes. That is the only bad thing about getting them unsexed. It is so cold here right now I could not even begin to think of letting mine outside for anything. Where are you located? Florida? I am in Ohio and our May is more like March right now.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thank you all for your help. I’m keeping the three runner one week old ducklings indoors 99% of the time, but I do let them in the yard when the 4 weeks old ducks are foraging. My Pekins happily lounge with the new ducklings and one of my Rouens seems to want to share food with the new ducklings. One of the Rouens still seems aggressive but I’m always with the ducks when they are free ranging, so nothing can happen and none of them have even tried pecking the smaller ones since the first meeting. I’ll be keeping the youngest ones indoors for a few more weeks before they go outside in a run beside the older ducks and a couple weeks after that I hope to have them all living together. My new worry is the number of drakes because I believe my Pekins were wrongly sexed and they are both drakes, along with one of my Rouens also being a drake. Pure panic at this point!

You are most welcome for my help my Dear.

 

[Luv Ducks]

One of my Runner Babies has started to whistle. That means it is a drake for sure. I have never had a female duck be able to whistle. I am just praying that every time I hear it it's the same one doing it and I don't have two drakes. They are so stinking cute. It's hard to imagine having to rehome both of them. Good luck with yours and hopefully your Pekin is a Hen and not a drake.

 

[bugheadmomma]

One of my Runner Babies has started to whistle. That means it is a drake for sure. I have never had a female duck be able to whistle. I am just praying that every time I hear it it's the same one doing it and I don't have two drakes. They are so stinking cute. It's hard to imagine having to rehome both of them. Good luck with yours and hopefully your Pekin is a Hen and not a drake.

Whistling means drake? My female runners are almost three weeks old now and they chirp and whistle. I swear they sound almost just like crickets! I hope you only have one drake too. I’m still a nervous mess on the gender on mine!