Aggressive female duck HELP!

[txduckmom]

My female khaki runner lost her companion to a hawk attack about three weeks ago… I found another runner in the area that was put up for adoption, it is a black male runner. I quarantined him and decided to let him run around the yard next to the female in her caged in run so they could meet. she was very aggressive and tried to attack him through the wire so i separated them again. I’ve been trying to get them to get along by putting them in the yard together in intervals, each time i do, my female khaki bites him and pulls his feathers… what do i do ?

 

[Yardmom]

Birds are known for establishing their place in the flock even with only 2 birds. You can lessen the fighting by leaving them where they can see each other but not touch each other for several days. When you do put them together there should be space for them to move apart and they may even need hiding places. Expect that they may still squabble a bit as they work out the rolls of each flock member. I personally would not completely remove him. Each time he goes away and comes back it can be like starting all over again.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Is she older than him by any chance?

 

[txduckmom]

Is she older than him by any chance?

she is a year older than him

 

[txduckmom]

Birds are known for establishing their place in the flock even with only 2 birds. You can lessen the fighting by leaving them where they can see each other but not touch each other for several days. When you do put them together there should be space for them to move apart and they may even need hiding places. Expect that they may still squabble a bit as they work out the rolls of each flock member. I personally would not completely remove him. Each time he goes away and comes back it can be like starting all over again.

okay i will try this! thank you so much

 

[HollowOfWisps]

she is a year older than him

With poultry it's not uncommon for older females to put a younger male in his place in the pecking order.