Duck Bill

[Quack head]

Looks like she maybe trying to put her bill through fencing?

Maybe I should watch for the next couple of days, if I apply anything to it I don't think it would stay on since she is in the dirt, mud and water during the day.

 

[Quack head]

This is the second week I have been keeping the new ducks separate from the two adults. All seem comfortable when he older ducks come in at night. A little quacking but nothing like the first week. After these two weeks should I take down the divider and let them intermingle? Also, do you think the new ducks will come in at night?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would watch them together for a couple of days enclosed before letting them out together. So maybe the 2 newbies will follow the other two inside for night.

 

[Quack head]

WELL, I took down the divider and it did not go smoothly. The adults kept attacking the younger three. I sat in the pen/house for an hour trying to keep the peace. I did keep both water and food bowls and place them on each side of the house. I sat outside the pen/house for another hour (they could see me thru the fencing), and tried to settle them down. When I left the young ducks were huddled together but sitting down. The older were just waiting until I left. I checked them again just before dark and a racket was coming from the house. Once again when they saw me the older ones stopped and went to a neutral corner. I am going to check on them again a little after dark and see if they settled down. I am planning on leaving them together in the house for about a week and hopefully they will start to get along.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They can do serious injury to the younger ones hopefully they won’t but you’ll have to use your gut on how long to leave them together. Do you have a run hooked to your house that they can all be in during the day?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Pushing an shoving is acceptable but full out ripping out feathers an attacking isn’t.