At what age can ducklings intermingle with an adult duck?

[ChrisWNY]

In lieu of the loss of my female Rouen a couple of weeks ago, I purchased two 1-day-old female hatchling Rouens which arrived this Wednesday...I don't want my Drake to be without companions since I work during the day. Since it's still sunny and warm out, I like to get the little fur balls out in the sun for brief periods, maybe a few minutes per day. My chickens (they are ISA brown hens) and my Rouen drake free-range within my 2-acre property.

The hens leave the ducklings alone, but are clearly curious with them. My Drake (Charley) makes a b-line for the ducklings whenever they are out, so I have to keep them confined, as it's obvious that Charley likes to nip at them would have them for a snack otherwise. I literally have to pull him away from the ducklings to stop him from doing any damage. I figured it would add some benefit to at least let Charley see the ducklings and keep him at bay (so he can observe me being protective of them) so that he gets the point (he's fairly intelligent...he no longer goes after my kids because I've "mounted" him when he does, which has made him more submissive with my 3 young kids).

Photos below (taken today)...





At what age will it be safe to introduce the female Rouens an adult Drake? Charley was hatched back in April so he's roughly 5 months old. Will it be safe to let them intermingle with Charley when they're fully feathered in a couple of months?

 

[redsoxs]

Wow! Those are some cute ducklings! I don't know the correct answer to your question but here is one of a few old threads where that very question is discussed. Good luck to you! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1099498/ducklings-of-different-ages-when-can-they-be-together

 

[chickens really]

Once they are mature and not peeping anymore they will be able to be with the drake...Just watch the Drake so he is not too Randy with the sexually immature hens...It is a process that takes a bit of time but worth the wait...

Enjoy those cute little Ducklings...

 

[ChrisWNY]

Thanks for the replies...oddly enough a similar thread popped up just after I posted this one, so I've been reading there too. Seems that the females will need to be quacking before I let them loose with the Drake. Until then, any interactions will be done very cautiously with close supervision.

Charley the Drake gets along with my hens just fine (all 7 of them). The hens are all laying eggs at this point so they are more or less mature. I have not seen him try to mount any of the hens, but he does bite at them when they are sharing treats (hard boiled eggs, corn on the cob, greens, seeds, etc.). Other than that, they get along fairly well, and my hens are extremely docile. Without the hens I don't think my Drake would've bounced back as well after my female Rouen met her end from a mink. He was off key for a few days afterward (not eating as well), but he seems to be back to normal behavior-wise.

 

[chickens really]

Being he is living with Chicken hens...Keep an eye on that too...Drakes have a penis and Roosters do not...If he gets to interested in breeding your Chicken hens he can do damage or even kill a hen being they do not breed the same way....

Best of Luck and keep on researching the site....

Cheers!

 

[ChrisWNY]

I don't keep them in the same living quarters at night...the Drake sleeps in an igloo-shaped dog house inside my garage at night, the hens are in a coop outdoors in the garden. They're only together outside during the daytime and forage for food together.

I'll have to set up some trail cams where they hang around most frequently though to make sure he's not trying to mate with my hens. That's crazy that a duck would try to mate with an entirely different species...I probably shouldn't be cracking up at that response but couldn't help myself...

 

[chickens really]

I don't keep them in the same living quarters at night...the Drake sleeps in an igloo-shaped dog house inside my garage at night, the hens are in a coop outdoors in the garden. They're only together outside during the daytime and forage for food together.

I'll have to set up some trail cams where they hang around most frequently though to make sure he's not trying to mate with my hens. That's crazy that a duck would try to mate with an entirely different species...I probably shouldn't be cracking up at that response but couldn't help myself...

Yeah, well it happens...lol! Keep your eyes open...Yikes!

 

[ChrisWNY]

Yeah, well it happens...lol! Keep your eyes open...Yikes!

Maybe I'll get him a stuffed animal female mallard duck so he can go to town on that while the 2 female Rouens are sprouting. I have searched some other threads and found posts about roosters and drakes attempting to mate goats and other livestock, that's just so bizarre. I would've never thought of male ducks being such horn dogs lol!!

 

[chickens really]

All male animals breed...Not always the same species...Hormones run high in a Male animals....Just keep an eye on your hens is the best advise I can give you...

Cheers!

 

[robinjs11]

From my experience with my muscovys, it is much easier when the ducklings are no longer peeping which was 8-10 weeks. I added 2- 6 week olds, a 8 week old and a 10 week old and my adults targeted the peeping ones.