➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[CrazyCrttr75]

Well, she definitely loves it outside with all of the animals. We decided to keep her on the side of the fence that's with the chickens. All of the ducks can go up and down and around the fence line and noodle around the bottom of it together but Noah can't get to her to bite/nip her. The good thing about doing it this way is that Luna flies over to this side a lot already and now that little one is over there, she's been coming over a lot more. Luna is accepting of her and is kind of showing her the ropes. Luna will try to dominate her at times when it comes to water. She doesn't want to share the small rubber dish and the little one gets so excited and wants to get in it with her but Luna will let her know, "hey back off! it's my turn right now". The little one pushes back a little bit but ends up backing off. They are bonding quite nicely tho. I'm thinking about maybe putting Noah over the fence with the chickens and putting the new duck in the duck pen in the hopes that she can start trying to bond with Xena as well. But I don't want to make Noah's accepting of her prolonged by doing that. So I am going to think about that some more. Now I just have to hope they can bond and get along sooner instead of later. The poor thing can't keep staying in the house at night. She is just so unhappy. But this can take quite a while can't it?

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

Well, she definitely loves it outside with all of the animals. We decided to keep her on the side of the fence that's with the chickens. All of the ducks can go up and down and around the fence line and noodle around the bottom of it together but Noah can't get to her to bite/nip her. The good thing about doing it this way is that Luna flies over to this side a lot already and now that little one is over there, she's been coming over a lot more. Luna is accepting of her and is kind of showing her the ropes. Luna will try to dominate her at times when it comes to water. She doesn't want to share the small rubber dish and the little one gets so excited and wants to get in it with her but Luna will let her know, "hey back off! it's my turn right now". The little one pushes back a little bit but ends up backing off. They are bonding quite nicely tho. I'm thinking about maybe putting Noah over the fence with the chickens and putting the new duck in the duck pen in the hopes that she can start trying to bond with Xena as well. But I don't want to make Noah's accepting of her prolonged by doing that. So I am going to think about that some more. Now I just have to hope they can bond and get along sooner instead of later. The poor thing can't keep staying in the house at night. She is just so unhappy. But this can take quite a while can't it?
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It will take a while, but it sounds like Luna is going to make this a little easier for you by integrating herself. Put Xena in with them as well and leave Noah on the duck side. Once they start accepting her into their little female flock, then you can start adding her with Noah but I would do short supervised visits.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

It will take a while, but it sounds like Luna is going to make this a little easier for you by integrating herself. Put Xena in with them as well and leave Noah on the duck side. Once they start accepting her into their little female flock, then you can start adding her with Noah but I would do short supervised visits.

I'm worried for her because I honestly don't know how old she is. I think she is young. Maybe a little over a couple of months old. But I don't know for sure. My other 3 are older and have reached sexual maturity. They are 24 weeks, so 6 months old. I don't want Noah to hurt her by trying to mate with her before she is ready. I didn't think about that before. And here I was wanting to get more ducks (I just figured in like Feb/Mar). Obviously I wasn't thinking this all the way through and getting this young'un has certainly made me aware of that. On the upside... at least I only have to make accommodations for 1 duck instead of more at one time. Experience....you never have/gain it until after you already need it.

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

I'm worried for her because I honestly don't know how old she is. I think she is young. Maybe a little over a couple of months old. But I don't know for sure. My other 3 are older and have reached sexual maturity. They are 24 weeks, so 6 months old. I don't want Noah to hurt her by trying to mate with her before she is ready. I didn't think about that before. And here I was wanting to get more ducks (I just figured in like Feb/Mar). Obviously I wasn't thinking this all the way through and getting this young'un has certainly made me aware of that. On the upside... at least I only have to make accommodations for 1 duck instead of more at one time. Experience....you never have/gain it until after you already need it.

Hopefully Noah will not do that and be satisfied with his two hens. I’ve never had a drake so I can’t comment on it. I just know that our rooster doesn’t get the young hens until they start laying.

Can you post in the duck section and see what they suggest as far as integration?

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Hopefully Noah will not do that and be satisfied with his two hens. I’ve never had a drake so I can’t comment on it. I just know that our rooster doesn’t get the young hens until they start laying.

Can you post in the duck section and see what they suggest as far as integration?

Yeah. I'll do that here in a bit and see if there may be any other suggestions to do other than what I'm already doing.

 

[Missyblue]

I actually thought of Emma Lou. Hubby is a little iffy on that one too. And then he has the nerve to say, how about Gizmo? Pfft! I said NO. We call our dog buster, buster-roo. And our dog Maggie, Maggie-moo. I call Luna, Luna-boo. I have no idea why, I’m just weird like that. I make up cutesy nicknames. So I kind of like Emma so I can call her Emma Lou. Hahaha. I’ll letcha know what we decide.

My dogs name is Maggie, I call her Maggie Moo, Magpie and maggots

 

[ShrekDawg]

It’s been almost 2 weeks since we put Gator down and I am still watching for him at the bottom of the stairs and being careful coming down those last few steps because he always used to lay at the bottom of the stairs and sometimes I couldn’t see him if it was dark.

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

It’s been almost 2 weeks since we put Gator down and I am still watching for him at the bottom of the stairs and being careful coming down those last few steps because he always used to lay at the bottom of the stairs and sometimes I couldn’t see him if it was dark.

I’m sorry it’s so tough to lose a best friend

 

[ShrekDawg]

I’m sorry it’s so tough to lose a best friend

Thanks! It certainly is

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

It’s been almost 2 weeks since we put Gator down and I am still watching for him at the bottom of the stairs and being careful coming down those last few steps because he always used to lay at the bottom of the stairs and sometimes I couldn’t see him if it was dark.

I’m sorry it’s so tough to lose a best friend

Agreed.