Ducks being kind of mean to chickens! how can I make them more friendly?

[Vegan Mountain Mama]

I have 2 ducks and 2 chickens and they share a coop just fine, but in the daytime when i let them roam the ducks get territorial and bossy and sometimes peck the chickens....theyve even intimidated my poor kitty at times
Im also having a bit of a hard time getting them to bond with ME, they were very cuddly and couldnt stand when I'd leave their sight, up until about a month of age...now they run from me lol.
They're bein' little brats haha, how can I get them to be nicer to the hens and stop being so afraid of me?

 

[sourland]

Teenaged ducklings frequently go through a stage where they become flighty and skittish.
Are they drakes or hens? If they are drakes, they may be starting mating behavior with the chicken hens. This can seriously or even fatally injure the chicken hens.

 

[lazy gardener]

What Sour said. A Drake can kill a chicken if he tries to breed her.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I recently added 9 ducks (1 will be a drake when they mature) to my flock of 50ish chickens. I was worried about the chickens messing with them but quite the opposite... the duck are bullies! They absolutely run the yard. Even running to guard the water bowls when they see someone approach.

There are only 1 or 2 hens that will stand up to the ducks and have had standard battles usually with the chicken running away. I was planning to house them separate but got a duck scalped a few nights ago and my chicken coop is more secure so in they go now. Note my 9 ducks consume as much feed as all my other chickens put together!

They are oh so cute. I only meant to get 4 or 5 but with cost and fees was the same price to have 10 shipped, lost 1. I put some up for sale realizing the toll on my property especially during winter may be a little more than I bargained for.

With an equal # of ducks and chickens, I could see it being much harder on the chickens. Who knew ducks were so confident against other birds? Mine are only about 8 weeks old right now.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What Sour said. A Drake can kill a chicken if he tries to breed her.

with only 1 drake and 8 ducks... should I expect him to try mating hens as well?

 

[lazy gardener]

Sometimes mating is not about sex, but it's about domination... So... Based on that information, as well as the sloppy duck factor, I'd be looking at separate housing. Other folks have said that they do successfully house ducks with chickens, but that would not be my choice. And, that, my friend... is why I have not added some Khaki Campbells.... though I love ducks and would LOVE to have some!!!!!

 

[blackdust951]

I have 2 ducks and 2 chickens and they share a coop just fine, but in the daytime when i let them roam the ducks get territorial and bossy and sometimes peck the chickens....theyve even intimidated my poor kitty at times
Im also having a bit of a hard time getting them to bond with ME, they were very cuddly and couldnt stand when I'd leave their sight, up until about a month of age...now they run from me lol.
They're bein' little brats haha, how can I get them to be nicer to the hens and stop being so afraid of me?

helloand welcome to backyard chickens!thank you for joining us

 

[Vegan Mountain Mama]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I recently added 9 ducks (1 will be a drake when they mature) to my flock of 50ish chickens. I was worried about the chickens messing with them but quite the opposite... the duck are bullies! They absolutely run the yard. Even running to guard the water bowls when they see someone approach.

There are only 1 or 2 hens that will stand up to the ducks and have had standard battles usually with the chicken running away. I was planning to house them separate but got a duck scalped a few nights ago and my chicken coop is more secure so in they go now. Note my 9 ducks consume as much feed as all my other chickens put together!

They are oh so cute. I only meant to get 4 or 5 but with cost and fees was the same price to have 10 shipped, lost 1. I put some up for sale realizing the toll on my property especially during winter may be a little more than I bargained for.

With an equal # of ducks and chickens, I could see it being much harder on the chickens. Who knew ducks were so confident against other birds? Mine are only about 8 weeks old right now.

Sorry to hear about the one you lost! A raccoon snuck into my backyard the other night and i chased it away, and then a few weeks ago a hawk swooped down and tried to get my chicken Poppy, but I chased that punk away too! ive been very watchful since.... and yes, my ducks are more than a month younger than my chickens and they are little bullies at times. The chickens are very sweet.
Good luck mediating with them

 

[Vegan Mountain Mama]

Teenaged ducklings frequently go through a stage where they become flighty and skittish.
Are they drakes or hens? If they are drakes, they may be starting mating behavior with the chicken hens. This can seriously or even fatally injure the chicken hens.

The ducks were born on june 20th, and the chickens are a month older than them...is that still considered teenage years? i do hope they grow out of it.
Luckily both my chickens and both my ducks are all girls

 

[Vegan Mountain Mama]

What Sour said. A Drake can kill a chicken if he tries to breed her.

thankfully they are all girls