MerryFeather
Chirping
- May 10, 2021
- 81
- 82
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I have 7 laying ducks that are around 8 months old. We decided in March we wanted to get a male so we could eventually hatch our own ducks to keep our laying flock going. The male's box friend died during shipping and his replacement friend also had a terrible time with the USPS. Only one female survived after arriving late and she was very weak for awhile. So the male was raised alone for 2 weeks while we tried to get him company. After 4 weeks he was able to be placed with the blue swedish female who was a week younger. Abner (the male) and Alma (his Blue Swedish female) have become very close even though we handled them a lot as ducklings.
At 8 weeks old they moved out to the shack with the other ladies (in a separate space but they could see each other). They had supervised free range time together but spent the days apart from the main group so they could warm up to each other. I was very worried that the 8 month old ducks would pick on Abner and Alma and they wouldn't be safe. But the opposite happened. Abner runs the older ladies off and keeps them from the food and water often. Alma started copying his habit of nipping at the other ducks to chase them away. None are ever injured but they are not making a good impression.
I hoped that time would calm them down and all would be friends but it has been 3 or so weeks. One of my 8 month old ladies stress quacks every time Abner and Alma are by her and it is a lot. So much that she starts loosing her voice. She gets fluffy and shrinks her head down. They are all together during the day now and Porgy is still stressed. How can I help them all get along? Will this eventually work itself out? They are still separated at night by hardware cloth barrier so I know all the ladies can get access to food and water without Abner getting in the way.
At 8 weeks old they moved out to the shack with the other ladies (in a separate space but they could see each other). They had supervised free range time together but spent the days apart from the main group so they could warm up to each other. I was very worried that the 8 month old ducks would pick on Abner and Alma and they wouldn't be safe. But the opposite happened. Abner runs the older ladies off and keeps them from the food and water often. Alma started copying his habit of nipping at the other ducks to chase them away. None are ever injured but they are not making a good impression.
I hoped that time would calm them down and all would be friends but it has been 3 or so weeks. One of my 8 month old ladies stress quacks every time Abner and Alma are by her and it is a lot. So much that she starts loosing her voice. She gets fluffy and shrinks her head down. They are all together during the day now and Porgy is still stressed. How can I help them all get along? Will this eventually work itself out? They are still separated at night by hardware cloth barrier so I know all the ladies can get access to food and water without Abner getting in the way.