Adopting a duck?

[JulieBeth07]

Here we are again...

A Female Rouen... just lost her only duck flock mate (they have chickens also). She's 3-4 months old not laying. Her mate she lost was a female. They want to rehome her as she's lonely....

We have 6 ducks... all female I believe. 2 pekins (1 laying) 2 buffs, 2 gold star hybrid. All free range throughout the day with our hens.

If we try to integrate her... is there anything special we should do? Are ducks like chickens and the pecking order?

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Technically you should separate her for a while to make sure she doesn't bring any diseases to your flock. I admit when I adopt a duck from a known source, I just put them out with the flock and monitor what happens. Not recommending what I do.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

seperate them through chicken wire or something they cannot hurt or touch each other through for like 2 weeks. then add the nicest other girl in with her first, for like 2 days. them add them both into the flock together.

 

[KaleIAm]

Yay adoption!!

Yes, ducks have a pecking order. The recommended quarantine period for new birds is 4 weeks. Some people follow it, some don't. To ease the transition most people recommend the "look but no touch method" before putting birds together physically.

I was unaware of this guideline when I adopted my ducks. I just introduced them into my existing flock right away. The adopted ducks had mites, internal parasites, and infectious bronchitis!!! I didn't find out until my entire flock was sick a couple months later. The adopted ducks had been living with wild mallards, and that likely increased their risk of illness a lot.

I have adopted ducks twice. The first time the adopted ducks joined my existing flock as if they had always belonged. The second time the existing flock rejected the adopted duck. The adopted duck followed the existing flock around desperately, and they pecked at her when she got too close. They eventually stopped pecking at her, but they never loved her like they love each other.

I wish I had followed the recommendations.

 

[JulieBeth07]

I apologize for the delayed response! Thanks everyone for your help!

She's coming today. I was wondering... I don't have somewhere to really separate her persay. I was thinking about maybe putting a dog crate in the duck pen...( the girls free range together with my chickens during the day)... Keeping her in the pen during the day and a crate for bedtime?


Hopefully this goes better than my roo adoption he had to go back home.

 

[Vickischics]

You really need to keep her AWAY from your existing flock for 4 weeks.
Then you introduce it via a crate inside your existing flock.
It might be sick and you don't even know it. Then you've just exposed your healthy flock.
Read page #4 and what happened to her when she adopted a duck.
She learned her lesson the Hard way.

 

[JulieBeth07]

That makes sense. I was under the impression that the look don't touch method was for physical safety. I guess I underestimated the term "quarantine"

I'm not quite sure I have somewhere to totally isolate her and keep her safe. What would you all suggest.

The duck is coming from a family friend, that are feather fanatics themselves. I'm assuming she's in pretty good health... but I guess we all know what "ass"umming does. It also makes sense she may be sick and they don't know.

 

[KaleIAm]

You really need to keep her AWAY from your existing flock for 4 weeks.
Then you introduce it via a crate inside your existing flock.
It might be sick and you don't even know it. Then you've just exposed your healthy flock.
Read page #4 and what happened to her when she adopted a duck.
She learned her lesson the Hard way.

I did learn the hard way. I'll never introduce again without quarantine. 5 years later I'm still paying for that mistake - financially and emotionally.

 

[JulieBeth07]

I did learn the hard way. I'll never introduce again without quarantine. 5 years later I'm still paying for that mistake - financially and emotionally.

So sorry thank you for your advice.

 

[Vickischics]

Excellent advice.
Yes, you just don't know and not worth it.