how do you introduce a duckling to a 4 week old duck?

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah that is the same thing o read in another thread on here, Friday I'll have to go down to the home depot and pick some up . That stuff should be ok for their day time fencing pen though. Which I'm only going to use when I need to come inside to cook or clean house so that the dogs don't have unsupervised access to them. I'm making the uncovered yard next to the covered home part which will have a house and 4 by 7 feet of room when including the outside it'll be 9 by 7 feet. That should be ok right? While I'm outside they'll have access to.the whole yard which is pretty large not.farm large but bigger than normal homes backyards

That sounds like a good plan other than the dogs if they were to try and tear into the plastic poultry fencing. It rips pretty easy I use it for various things here.

 

[pairaducks]

When are babies old enough to mingle with older "ducklings"?? I have 3-4 month old pekins and about 2 month old mallards (2) and khakis (2). I let them mingle for a minute last night and they all looked curious about each other, but panicked when they got too close :/

 

[marcelineduckie]

That sounds like a good plan other than the dogs if they were to try and tear into the plastic poultry fencing. It rips pretty easy I use it for various things here.

they are Good dogs and I've introduced them to marceline so far one (the old man) doesn't really want to be around her and the younger guy is very good with her I still always supervise their play time as they are pretty big dogs I am also putting flat boards along the bottom the mesh stuff will just be so they can't jump out Gunter seems to be a good jumper

 

[marcelineduckie]

When are babies old enough to mingle with older "ducklings"?? I have 3-4 month old pekins and about 2 month old mallards (2) and khakis (2). I let them mingle for a minute last night and they all looked curious about each other, but panicked when they got too close :/

I'd keep letting then mingle until they get comfortable seems like at those ages they'd be big enough to handle themselves around each other. I'm not sure when you'd know when they be comfortable around each other maybe when you see them cuddle together? I am also going through this but with a 4 week pekin (who won't stop growing!) And a 1 week old runner (who will get big but definitely not as big as the pekin) I hear treats work well to help the bonding process always reward good behavior, peas seem to be the favorite at my home right now and dandelion leaves I'll put small pieces in a water dish my pekin goes crazy fishing them out

 

[Miss Lydia]

When are babies old enough to mingle with older "ducklings"?? I have 3-4 month old pekins and about 2 month old mallards (2) and khakis (2). I let them mingle for a minute last night and they all looked curious about each other, but panicked when they got too close

The Mallards and KC will have to be as close as possible to the Pekins size or at least older since the Mallards don't have a chance of catching either. But getting them out together supervised as long as Pekins behave is a good idea and then keeping them separated some how where they can still see each other when you can't be with them. It's just not a good idea to have very young ducklings in with older ones they just don't have a chance of defending them selves if someone wants to be a bully.

 

[Miss Lydia]

they are Good dogs and I've introduced them to marceline so far one (the old man) doesn't really want to be around her and the younger guy is very good with her I still always supervise their play time as they are pretty big dogs I am also putting flat boards along the bottom the mesh stuff will just be so they can't jump out Gunter seems to be a good jumper

I have some poultry fencing around a portion of out yard to keep the chickens off the steep bank behind our home it's the plastic, something is chewing holes big enough in it my chickens could walk right in if they wanted to. so now buying the plastic poultry fencing I feel I wasted my money and now have to also put up metal poultry fencing over it. Dh thinks it's rabbits.

It's always something when you have critters.

 

[marcelineduckie]

I have some poultry fencing around a portion of out yard to keep the chickens off the steep bank behind our home it's the plastic, something is chewing holes big enough in it my chickens could walk right in if they wanted to. so now buying the plastic poultry fencing I feel I wasted my money and now have to also put up metal poultry fencing over it. Dh thinks it's rabbits. :/ It's always something when you have critters.

Aweh darn, well there are no rabbits here I think there is a golfer hole in the back but I've never seen a gofer cats from the back neighbor try to go on our fence but the dogs (no matter where they are at ) always chase them off, I have seen possums here occasionally in the summer but the dogs get those too I've never seen a raccoon but my husband said he has seen one try to go.after our neighbors chickens once. The dogs are great at grading though so I hope that is still going to be the case haha. Their home is going to be close to the house near the back door of my room no matter though I will have to check on the prices of the metal one for at least the covered night area for now and hopefully be able to even find pallets for the day area soon too

 

[marcelineduckie]

Today was marceline and gunters first time hanging out without me holding Gunter or being behind a mesh barrier they enjoyed snack time with their peas marceline even let Gunter lay near, not next to, but near her for dry time she did try to peck at her but I would keep petting both to show they are family I would gently move or block marcelines face when she looked like she would peck too hard at Gunter overall progress is definitely being made

 

[Miss Lydia]

Today was marceline and gunters first time hanging out without me holding Gunter or being behind a mesh barrier they enjoyed snack time with their peas marceline even let Gunter lay near, not next to, but near her for dry time she did try to peck at her but I would keep petting both to show they are family I would gently move or block marcelines face when she looked like she would peck too hard at Gunter overall progress is definitely being made

That is so cute and look at the difference in size. Marceline is learning to be a good girl. Your doing a great job teaching them.

 

[marcelineduckie]

That is so cute and look at the difference in size. Marceline is learning to be a good girl. Your doing a great job teaching them.

yeah her size has gone up crazy fast a couple weeks ago she was so much easier to hold. Gunter Wil grow soon too but I don't think as dramatically as marceline. Thank you I am trying as hard as I can to be a good duck friend :-D