Can we keep two limping ducks together?

DuckTapePalace

Chirping
Apr 22, 2023
26
27
51
Hello!

Both birds are just shy of 6 months. Luca, our Black Swedish has had surgery for a slipped tendon, is recovering (not sure how successful it was but we’re giving it the full recovery time), and has been separate from the group for several months due to being picked on. Blue, our Blue Swedish has been laying for a few weeks now but has just hurt her foot. It may just be sprained since she can put weight on it but prefers not to. There are no visible cuts, no sign of infection etc, just tender. She has a vet appointment scheduled in case there’s no improvement. She may be a bit overweight.

We have 8 birds total and plenty of drama with mating season hopefully ending and wanting to integrate 2 new birds. We normally have 6 (4, sans Blue and Luca) housed in an 8x8 aviary. Yes, we know we need more space, this is our first duck rodeo. The twins have been out camping out with Luca in an enclosure just outside. Today I put our only 2 drakes in the duck camp after cleaning it since they are mating and were going after our smalls. It actually seems a good space for them and it might be ideal for keeping them separate. We can work on integration within the large enclosure with just the ladies (who are shy w/o the boys!) if we can section off a corner for the twins…maybe Luca? Overnight).

We just don’t know what to do with Luca. The twins haven’t bothered her, arriving to be companions, and as much as I’d like to trust the other 2 ladies (who are laying), I’m not sure I do. They seem to leave her be when foraging and sitting around without the drakes but that’s been for very short periods of time. Today is an experiment with the aviary open to all ladies.

Long story short. Can two limping ducks get along until we have another space solution? Blue’s space is kind of a 1 bedroom apt and she has historically been a buddy and sweetly to Luca when she started having leg trouble. (On the left side of the aviary in the shade).

A larger enclosure is definitely on the priority list.
More specific flock info:
OG6 are 2 Ancona drakes, 1 blue Swedish, 1 black swedish, 1 Ancona, and 1 Rouen. 6 months
Twins- 2 black Swedish ladies. 2 months
 

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If there is a chance your duck who has had surgery would be chased then I would make her a separate space just for her you definitely don't want her having to run away from being picked on. You can make separate areas pretty easily with fencing until everyone is healed and getting along.
 

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