duckling bullying and hurting everyone

[ruthhope]

Oh my He's not a jerk, I'm the jerk! Can I move them into the grown up coop at this age ? It doesn't really get below 50 f at night this time of year. I can finish it tomorrow, get it all ready. And should I still separate Kepler for now ? For how long do you think ?

You can move them into the adult coop which is just about big enough for 8, but no more. If you can get a small dogcrate, you can put the bully in the dogcrate in the adult coop, overnight.

My flock is all drakes that free range during the day. Even in a huge 5ft x 10ft coop, the drakes squabble at night, so my pekin drakes has his own private compartment in a dogcrate. He is happy and, as it happens one or two muscovy often roost on top of the dogcrate. Muscovies like to climb and roost high but your ducks will probably not do that.

 

[Apolinne]

Guys, thank you so much! You're the best ! Thank you for helping me and my duckies. This community is so nice and someone always helps. I love it here. It's rather magical to be able to ask advice and get help from other duck people from across the ocean.
I will do all the things and get back to you with any updates.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Oh my He's not a jerk, I'm the jerk! Can I move them into the grown up coop at this age ? It doesn't really get below 50 f at night this time of year. I can finish it tomorrow, get it all ready. And should I still separate Kepler for now ? For how long do you think ?

It’s alright, it can be fixed. 6.5 x 7.5 is a much better coop size for them. The temperature sounds fine for their age, too.

I’d keep Kepler separate just until everyone heals and the redness goes away.

Good luck! Yes, please let us know how it goes!

 

[Apolinne]

Hi guys !
So it's been a week since I moved the duckies into a bigger coop and they are totally fine now. No bleeding feathers no violent nipping and scared quacking.
I kept Kepler separated for 3 days and nights and the change in him was obvious. He's much calmer now. He even looks more at peace. The most "hurt" duck is still a little suspicious of him but they all seem more content. They just discovered slugs living in the tall grass so now they venture into the unknown (parts of the garden) everyday to look for them They are much happier.
Thank you guys

 

[KathiQuacks]

Hi guys !
So it's been a week since I moved the duckies into a bigger coop and they are totally fine now. No bleeding feathers no violent nipping and scared quacking.
I kept Kepler separated for 3 days and nights and the change in him was obvious. He's much calmer now. He even looks more at peace. The most "hurt" duck is still a little suspicious of him but they all seem more content. They just discovered slugs living in the tall grass so now they venture into the unknown (parts of the garden) everyday to look for them They are much happier.
Thank you guys

This is amazing to hear

 

[Apolinne]

Hi guys,
/I'll just continue in this here thread so as to not start a new one unnecessarily/
So the not jerk baby Kepler who is indeed a drake, confirmed by a drake feather, is now ... well, not exactly bullied but a little bit ostracised. Out of 8 ducks I ended up with 5 drakes, which is just my luck and Kepler is as small as the smallest girl I have. (He was the smallest egg, and the smallest duckling) After I got them into a bigger coop he turned into a very gentle boi and now he's the last to eat and last to get to any treat. Nobody hurts him (yet) but he is small and definitely on the periphery socially.

I'm planning on getting more ladies to even out the ratio and to also make a drake jail and rotate my drakes while keeping Kepler with the ladies permanently. Do you think that will be a good set up ? Or is it something I just need to try and see ?
I'm worried that if I leave him in the drake jail with the big drakes they might try to mate him.

Here is tiny baby Kepler with Julia. They are about the same size now.

 

[Apolinne]

Hi ladies,
@KathiQuacks @ruthhope @HollowOfWisps @Miss Lydia
sorry to bother you again,

I have a minor issue here, I would appreciate your input, whenever you get a second.

I bought two new runner hens and I did the see not touch with them as advised. When I saw fit I merged them with the OG flock. Successfully I thought.
Here is the problem: when outside all is well, they all eat together form the same bowls, drink form the same buckets, they swim together in the pond, nap together, forage together, one of the drakes even did some flirting with them. However when I go to lock them up for the night the OG flock always kicks the two new girls out. They can't stand them in the coop amongst themselves. I still have to get the girls into a crate and then put them into the coop for the night, even though they spent the past week together outside every day. What am I doing wrong ? Do they just need more time?

Thank you.

 

[ruthhope]

Ducks are like that. Are you unable to leave a medium dog crate in the coop for the two new runner hens to take themselves in to? They should be kept separate at night for say another 4 weeks, and they try again integrating them at night. If they share food bowls during the day, there is every good chance they will integrate with time and patience

 

[Miss Lydia]

When I integrated 4 young Runner females last year to our flock They were fine outside with everyone but inside they had to sleep in a large dog crate from close to 4 weeks before they were accepted into the coop without squabbles. It takes time but it will happen. It's great they are doing so good outside with everyone.

 

[Apolinne]

Ducks are like that. Are you unable to leave a medium dog crate in the coop for the two new runner hens to take themselves in to? They should be kept separate at night for say another 4 weeks, and they try again integrating them at night. If they share food bowls during the day, there is every good chance they will integrate with time and patience

That's what I've been doing: put the two girls into the crate, close it and then put them with everyone for the night. Do you mean that I should just put the crate into the coop opened and they will hide there themselves ? And then just leave it open?
I try to put them into the crate first so that the others don't get "used to" kicking them out every time they go to the coop for the night. Or does that not matter ?