Adding my young girl to the Pen with the big ducks?

[PlumTuckered]

Scrappy is almost 13 weeks old now, in the day she has full run of the duck pen and in the evening she's in her cage in the duck pen once the big ducks come home from the pond. I have 2 grown girls and 1 drake. I've allowed scrappy time with the big ducks and the drake always grabs her by the back of the head or yanks some feathers out of her back. I realize he might be trying to establish pecking order and even might be attempting to top her, however I don't know if she's too young to chance it. I don't want her getting hurt but I do want to give them all a fair chance to get to know eachother. Have any of you added a younger duck to your flock? If so, can you give me any pointers please?

The older three were hatched together and are almost ten months old.

Michelle

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Sorry, I haven't had the situation you have. I have older and younger ducks but they all grew up w/broody moms intro. them into the flock plus the young ones were not more than a month or two apart in age. I'd be a bit concerned of the age decrepency esp. if the drake may be trying to breed her or at least set up dominance. If you had another duck her age or just a bit younger to intro. them TOGETHER to the older ones I would be more comfortable. Consider waiting until your youngster is say 5-6mo. old or increase their time together slowly until you can see that she isn't going to be picked on. With chickens you have to wait until either the youngest are close to being the same size OR you are introducing more youngn's as a sub flock to a smaller older flock. Hopefully, someone on here that has had exp. with this will chime in soon.

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

What we did was stick our younger duck(s) into crates and stick them inside the pen so they could see each other and get use to each other. Sadly, our drake Squirt went and pulled feathers out of the back of their heads and attempted to mount them....

Can Scrappy be an inside duck? Just wondering- she is too cute and it would be a shame if something happened:/

 

[PlumTuckered]

Thank you Ladies.

I wanted Scrappy to be an inside duck but my Husband is dead set against it. What I've been doing is letting Scrappy have the Duck Pen w/run all to herself in the daytime while the grown ducks are down at the pond/inthepasture/in the yards etc. When the big ducks come to the Pen for supper I stay in there for half an hour allowing them to all be together, when the Drake acts aggressive towards Scrappy she comes running and hides between my legs or jumps into my arms. Three times a week I keep one of the grown girls in the pen with Scrappy (alternating between the two). The other days of the week I let my 4 month old chickens play in the pen with her. The Duck pen is attached to the Chicken yard and she just thinks the chickens are her neighbors LOL When the big ducks come to the pen I also walk Scrappy down to the pond and give her some swim time. Once she's had a swim, some preening time and a bit of a waddle around the yards I then put her in the big wire dog crate in the duck pen for the night. The big girl ducks like Scrappy and have never been aggressive towards her. I don't have a problem with General (the Drake) being a little aggressive and showing her he's the boss however I don't want him topping her until she's of age, I do not want her hurt. I guess I'll continue going as I've been doing until she's old enough to handle him topping her. I hatched Scrappy in the house along with Miracle, but sadly Miracle went to sleep when she was 11 days old and just never woke up.

Michelle

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Sorry to hear about Miracle. It's always sad to loose a pet. I'd say around 6mo. for Scrappy then before I'd let your drake be with her.

 

[PlumTuckered]

Thank you KOTH, I will keep on going as I have been until she's 6 months old. Yes it was very heartbreaking when little Miracle died, I cried for days over that little duckling.

Michelle