Do I Dare???

[tia]

My mallard is a couple months old. Is it time to introduce it to my 6 adult runner flock??? Will I ever be able to include it into this flock?

 

[tia]

I should say too - I have 5 runner ducks and 1 runner drake.

 

[desertdarlene]

I know that wild ducklings often go off without their mom and hang around the adults at 4 to 5 weeks old, so it might be OK. I am not an expert on this, so maybe someone else will be of better help.

 

[katharinad]

Ducks have personalities like humans. You never know if they like each other. Just put them together for 30 minutes and see. There will be some pecking going on, but it will diminish as they establish order. From there you can put them together more and more until you seem to be fine with their behavior.

 

[tia]

This is too funny. I took Jet (my little mallard) out and introduced her to the runners. I put her in the pen and she flapped her wings and the runners ran to the corner to hide. Then she walked toward them and they ran to the other corner. I didn't leave her there very long. (I was afraid she would be too rough with them)

 

[Birdcrazy]

Haha and we're worrying about Jet?

Are you going to still leave Jet with your runners?

 

[tia]

No I am going to take Katharinad's advice and do it very slowly and stay with them until I am sure it is going to work out.

 

[Birdcrazy]

Good idea, but I meant are you still going to have Jet with your runners in the end, or give up on the idea from the runners' bravery issues

 

[tia]

I think she is going to be with them if I can make it work. I don't want her to be by her self... and I like her too much to give her up... but I would give her up if this doesn't work for her or try to get another Mallard to keep her company.

 

[katharinad]

She will be fine and so will be the "freaks".

It can take time until they come together. The runners will eventually get it, so making a daily routine out of it will work in the long run. I had 2 and 9. The 2 were one month older and the 9 were scarred running off. The 2 of course thought it was fun to bully at least twice a day. Eventually it got old and it stopped. Then they started to lay around 2 feet apart and eventually they all hang around together. It only took 6 weeks. I've got my will eventually with those little suckers. The entire time I had them sleep together in the duck house, but had a divider up in between them.