Wednesday I received another duckling and gosling, both hatched on Monday. Today when I had everyone outside, I put the new ones in a little pen inside the larger pen. My two and a half week olds spent a lot of time just on the other side of the new one's pen. However, when I let them all together, they accepted the new duckling just fine, but went nuts pecking at the gosling. I scooped up the two new babies and put them back inside their little pen, and everything was just like before with the older ones sitting up against it on the outside and the littler ones against it on the inside.
About four hours later I tried putting them all together again, and again they had no problem with the duckling, but acted crazy towards the gosling. I would hiss at them and that would hold them off for a little bit, but they kept their eyes on her and if I moved at all would rush her. Finally I tucked new gosling and duckling in a towel on my lap and just sat there. The older gals just sort of layed up against my legs and pecked at the grass.
In the end I figured they'd all had enough excitement for one day and put them back in their seperate brooders. How long does it usually take to get younger ones to like each other? Is there anything I can do differently to help them accept the new gosling?
They older ones are two weeks older than the new ones.
(I thought ducks were cute... this gosling looks like big bird... she is SO cute and fluffy. She seems to like to cuddle up in my armpit too)
About four hours later I tried putting them all together again, and again they had no problem with the duckling, but acted crazy towards the gosling. I would hiss at them and that would hold them off for a little bit, but they kept their eyes on her and if I moved at all would rush her. Finally I tucked new gosling and duckling in a towel on my lap and just sat there. The older gals just sort of layed up against my legs and pecked at the grass.
In the end I figured they'd all had enough excitement for one day and put them back in their seperate brooders. How long does it usually take to get younger ones to like each other? Is there anything I can do differently to help them accept the new gosling?
They older ones are two weeks older than the new ones.
(I thought ducks were cute... this gosling looks like big bird... she is SO cute and fluffy. She seems to like to cuddle up in my armpit too)
