1 Month Later...

[Wv Farm Mom]

About a month ago I posted about my momma Rouen who had just had her second set of hatchlings this summer & the first set were not happy with the ducklings. After some amazing advice from the BYC community I removed all 5 ducklings & kept them inside. This past Sunday they were 1 month old & I decided that was the right time to put them back into the duck house with the older ducks. I separated the pen with the ducklings in one area & the older ducks & drakes in the other area. 3 days later & all seems to be fine however after working outside over the holiday weekend on their newer & much bigger duck pond I noticed that momma & only momma was being aggressive towards them. She would lower her head to the ground & kinda charge towards them of course making them run away quacking for their poor little lives, lol! How long should I keep them separated? And will momma ever calm down?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Was she after them In the coop too? That’s typical behavior for adult ducks and young ducks my adults especially my drake was doing it and still does to my younger Runners. Hasn’t actually touched them just puts his head down and makes them get away. You can keep them separate with fencing over night but as long as no one is attacking them I’d just let it play out-in the daytime

 

[Wv Farm Mom]

Yes! But they are currently separated in the coop. I have noticed that my Drake is picking on a younger drake from the first hatchling. He won’t even let him near the rest of the ducks. He does exactly what momma does but he also nips at him as well.

 

[Wv Farm Mom]

 

[Miss Lydia]

You may just have to keep it like that till hormones are subsiding. May have to have 2 flock since you have 2 drakes. Do they all free range?

 

[Wv Farm Mom]

No, they don’t free range. I’ve lost a lot of my animals to critters so I make sure their coops are very safe. They have a very large coop & duck pond so there are ways to separate if we have to. He seems to only pick on this one younger drake. There are currently 4 drakes that I know of. Not sure the sex on my new ducklings yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was just thinking if you free range they might be okay all together since they could stay away from each other. That’s good you have plenty of room to separate.