Best way to introduce a young duck to existing flock

[2006psdsd]

Well, i finally found a WH (Cami) that i have been wanting since i saw a picture of them on google. Shes almost 5 months old, and my current girls are just over a year, along with the one drake. I hear this is normal, but they are pretty rough with Cami. Is there a way to keep them from pummeling her all thr time?

Thanks

 

[Orca5094]

Sounds like you need to separate them by a fence for awhile so they can get used to Cami more slowly. Can you make her a pen inside your current yard so she can stay safe, but they can all still see/hear each other and get used to her? Are there any that are ok with her? It's best if she can be in with a nice friend and not be alone, but if they are all attacking her she needs to be protected so she can feel safe and eat/drink in peace.

 

[2006psdsd]

I might be able to do something like that. When we brought her home on Sunday, I thought about this, and decided I'd put her in the kennel we started out with for the others ducks. As soon as I put her on the ground she went a little crazy wanting to be with the others, and hurting herself trying to go through the chain link fence that the kennel is made of.

We use the dog kennel for their original yard, attached to the coop.

What about sleeping/ They can't stay out at night due to all the critters we have in the mountains. It was suggested to me by the lady I bought her from that she should sleep with them in the coop, and to just let nature take its course. Ducks are brutal, she said

 

[2006psdsd]

 

[tandiwe76]

We had that problem last year. Had a nest of naturally hatched Muscovies, except one egg was delayed so we hatched it inside. We had to tend to her for awhile because she had some balance issues. In a week she was doing well so we put her in with the big siblings (one week older), however the mother duck would not accept her and kept biting at her.

We ended up putting a little fenced enclosure inside the run, and putting her and a sibling or two inside the small enclosure. They slept together to stay warm. Eventually she grew a bit bigger and blended in better with the others, though she was still smaller. After a few days to a week, we were able to remove the fence and the mother duck did not seem to notice her being different.

 

[2006psdsd]

Good, that's what I wanted to hear. I'm still troubled about what to do at night though. I guess I will just put two of them in a dog crate and the other two in the coop for a few nights. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Debs Flock]

Oh, she's gorgeous! I echo what's already been mentioned. Gradually get them used to each other without direct contact for a while. I do think the sleeping arrangements as you said, in the dog crate and others in the coop, would be best for now. Good luck & welcome to BYC!!

 

[2006psdsd]

Thank you! I agree, shes the prettiest one Ive seen, and my 3 year old chose her!

 

[2006psdsd]

This isn't working, for the most part. The girls have accepted her, but Aflac refuses to! I'm pretty sure he will end up in the freezer this week. He now seems to attack her just out of spite. Not only raping her, but pinning her down, pecking her head and yanking on her feathers. Any other suggestions? We're leaving town for the holiday, and I don't know that our dog/duck sitter can handle separating them everyday and night

 

[Miss Lydia]

This isn't working, for the most part. The girls have accepted her, but Aflac refuses to! I'm pretty sure he will end up in the freezer this week. He now seems to attack her just out of spite. Not only raping her, but pinning her down, pecking her head and yanking on her feathers. Any other suggestions? We're leaving town for the holiday, and I don't know that our dog/duck sitter can handle separating them everyday and night

Is there any way you can just keep him separate since the ducks have accepted her. Some drakes are real jerks.