Bringing other birds into my flock

[KatGold]

I it's okay that I am posting there here. This is something of a semi-emergency.

A friend of mine has brought her 5 Peking/mallard ducks for me to babysit for the next 3 weeks. It wasn't until they arrived that I remembered all the horror stories about people introducing chickens from other flocks into their flocks and introducing bad bacteria and losing entire flocks.

Clearly, I do not want to endanger my chickens and ducks nor do I want to endanger hers.

Can I safely let her ducks mingle with mine or what? What should I do?

Right now, I have her ducks in a small separate pin. My husband and children think it's cruel to let them stay there for 3 weeks (the footprint is about 12 ft sq and the ducks are only 3 weeks right now).

My flock includes eight year old hens, four pullets, and three 3-week old banty ducklings.

Her flock (as I said) includes five 3-week old Pekins and 1 mallard.

What should I do?

Thanks,
Kathie

 

[dawg53]

I would continue to keep them seperated from your flock and I hope that they are a good distance between the two, it's too risky.
Perhaps you can temporarily expand the 12sq pen with netting and posts to give them more room. I would spend my money on those materials rather than antibiotics... or face a disease that could result in something worse for both flocks. Good luck.