Transition brooder for ducklings

[Kelster65]

Hi all,
I'm wondering what you've used as a transition brooder for ducklings. I have two 4 week old Rouens that were hatched and raised by a momma chicken that NOBODY messes with. I carry them out from their coop brooder to an open top playpen during the day and back in at night - everyone sees them but don't bother them. Then I have 6 pekins being raised by 2 momma Rouens. Their first clutch was killed by my drake and/or hens when he got into the brooder, which didn't have a top at the time. I'm thinking he wanted to see them and all hell broke loose, wanted to kill them or breed the females, and they got in the way, not sure. Anyway, long story short, I gave the moms 6 pekins to raise, and they're doing great. They've currently got a 4'x5' brooder, which will soon become small as the pekins grow. The momma ducks get spastic when I try to pick them up (although I raised them from babies too), so moving them all to an outdoor playpen daily might be tricky. (My run is 20' x35', plenty of room). Also, at what age could/ would be considered safe to release into the flock if my drake indeed killed the first clutch? All the chickens and ducks live in the same coop. They see these babies every day and get along just fine, but these babies are not free among them and new to their established pecking order.

Thank you in advance.

Photos to help the visual.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ducklings need to be kept safe from drakes because a lot of times a drake will mate with ducklings and that should not happen until the females are at least 4-5 months old and at laying age.

 

[BrooksideHomestead]

For our chickens, we built an extension for our run (which we needed) and kept it separate by chicken wire until the chicks were 10 weeks and large enough to hold their own with the rest of our hens. As for ducks, we have one Khaki Campbell duckling that our flock of Khaki’s (3 female, 1 male) aren’t taking to. He’s only five weeks and still small, and one female and the drake are very aggressive towards him. Currently, he is with us in a large brooder inside (basically my sidekick, walking around the house and yard too), but when he makes his transition to outside fully, he will have separate coop where they can all see each other until he is fully grown. By that time, I’m hoping the ducklings I’m hatching now and he can get acquainted through brooders inside and he will have company in his outdoor coop. But I agree with Miss Lydia to keep them separate until 4-5 months. Let us know what you end up doing!

 

[Kelster65]

Thank you both. Right now I've got Pekin and rouen ducklings in 2 separate indoor brooders and outdoor playpens. The momma ducks are with the babies 24/7 but momma chicken tends to jump in and out of the playpen with the 5 week old Rouens. She stays close by though. I'm wondering if I can leave the top of the pekins playpen uncovered so mom's can come and go (swim, get their mind clear) or if my drake would be a problem. He hasn't bothered the 5 week olds at all. If I do that I'll stand by and watch. I do have cameras on them 24/7 because I'm that kind of mom.

 

[Miss Lydia]

All you can do is try it and see how it goes.