duckling identity crisis

[w2teals]

Okay... so I raise ducks and chickens. At night they all get locked in the fowl house together (they do very well together actually) and during the day the ducks have free range of the yard and pond while the chickens get the fowl house and the 10'x20' run. (dog kills the chickens but not the ducks) So here is the problem. My friend had an orphaned duckling she gave me that was only just a week or two old, so I kept it in with the chickens permanently since the ducks wanted to just pretty much walk all over it. Well now its 8 weeks later and this duck thinks its a chicken. Its always with the chickens, even the roo protects it like a hen. It takes dust baths too. I have attempted several times to lead it down to the pond with the other ducks but all it does is this terrified half waddle half tumble back up the bank and across the lawn to the outside of the run and then paces all around the run squawking the entire day until I let it in at night. Id really rather not have a duck in with my chickens all day long... And Id love to see this pretty girl start enjoying life as a duck on a pond... any suggestions for my chuck? Anyone else ever have this problem?

 

[Amiga]

I would not push her at this point. If she is a she, there is no risk to your chickens. Slow introductions may help - also, the duck flock may not welcome her kindly at first - each flock is different. I would make some supervised time for them to get to know each other - don't risk her health.

 

[w2teals]

Awesome thank you. They do know eachother and they get along fine, like I said they all sleep in the same house at night and they seem to get along. But I will wait a while to put her out in the yard again. Maybe she will just be my chuck for life.

 

[Amiga]

That does not sound so bad.