In a bit of a predicament

[CrazyCrttr75]

I have 3 ducks that are 24 weeks (6 mo.) old. 1 male and 2 female. 2 days ago my neighbor asked if we wanted a duck for free. Supposedly it isn't theirs and they don't know where it came from. He told me it was a mallard, she said it is a khaki campbell. I was told that one of their dogs had a hold of it and they got it away from it. Then kept it and made sure it was going to be ok. For all I know, they had ducks but lost them all but this one. I don't have a clue. So we brought her home, the poor thing! Now how to integrate? My male Noah just doesn't want to have anything to do with her. He keeps biting at her and pulling at her feathers. We kept her in the house for the night and I gave her a bath in the tub to try and get all of the stink off of her. She definitely felt better afterwards. The next day (yesterday) we decided to keep her on the side of the fence with our chickens, that way the ducks can see each other but my drake can't get to her. I made sure she had food and water.
Example: Noah and Xena are in the duck area. Luna is the duck on the left that is on the rubber bowl and the new duck is the larger duck on the right next to her.

The nice thing is that my little mallard, Luna, likes to fly over the fence in to the chicken area quite often. And since the new duck is on that side she has been spending even more time over there with her. It seems like she is willing to readily accept her. They will pal around with each other.

We brought her inside to sleep again last night and took her back outside this morn when we let the chickens and ducks out for the day. This afternoon I decided that since her and little Luna were bonding so nicely that I would bring her on the duck side of the fence and I put Noah in the chicken side. Just for a little bit. I wanted her to get to know Xena a little better and have access to the pool. Then I brought Noah in and monitored then. I had to try and interrupt him from biting at her feathers a few times. Eventually I ended up putting her back on the chicken side. We will bring her in again tonight but that just isn't a long term solution. The duck coop isn't set up in a way where I can have all of them in it and somehow separate from one another. Any suggestions on how to help them get to a point of tolerating/accepting of her other than what I am already doing? I don't have another "house" for her to go in or a garage or anything. I also don't want to force them to be in small quarters (their coop) and Noah plucked her feathers out and hurt her or whatever. I think the new duck is young. I just don't know how old for sure. I'm thinking she's only a little over a couple months old, but again, I don't know for sure so I could be wrong. I am positive it is a female tho. No rasp and a loud clear quack. Thx for any advice.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have a dog crate she could sleep in inside of the coop that way she is sleeping with the ducks but your drake can’t pick on her. You also don’t want him mating either since she isn’t of breeding age yet. She shouldn’t be with him full time till around 4-5 months old

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

The dog crate I have is too large for their coop. It would take up way too much room. I will figure out something to create a "coop" for her to sleep in outside. Maybe we can put her in the chicken coop. Idk. I'll get it all worked out. Until then, I will keep her away from my drake and just let them interact through the fence only. My little mallard Luna is spending a lot of time noodling/foraging around in the yard with her. When Luna flies back over on the duck side the young duck just grunts and grunts and grunts. I think of it as whining lol. She wants to belong so bad. I will just keep doing what I am doing and when she is old enough (sexually mature/receptive), hopefully Noah will be more accepting of her. I was thinking of adding a couple more ducks before we got this little one. This has shown me that I was not prepared for more ducklings. I did not realize that integration was going to be so complicated. Integrating my chickens was a lot easier. Definitely a good learning lesson.

 

[quackiemama]

I have 3 ducks that are 24 weeks (6 mo.) old. 1 male and 2 female. 2 days ago my neighbor asked if we wanted a duck for free. Supposedly it isn't theirs and they don't know where it came from. He told me it was a mallard, she said it is a khaki campbell. I was told that one of their dogs had a hold of it and they got it away from it. Then kept it and made sure it was going to be ok. For all I know, they had ducks but lost them all but this one. I don't have a clue. So we brought her home, the poor thing! Now how to integrate? My male Noah just doesn't want to have anything to do with her. He keeps biting at her and pulling at her feathers. We kept her in the house for the night and I gave her a bath in the tub to try and get all of the stink off of her. She definitely felt better afterwards. The next day (yesterday) we decided to keep her on the side of the fence with our chickens, that way the ducks can see each other but my drake can't get to her. I made sure she had food and water.
Example: Noah and Xena are in the duck area. Luna is the duck on the left that is on the rubber bowl and the new duck is the larger duck on the right next to her.
View attachment 1636730
The nice thing is that my little mallard, Luna, likes to fly over the fence in to the chicken area quite often. And since the new duck is on that side she has been spending even more time over there with her. It seems like she is willing to readily accept her. They will pal around with each other.
View attachment 1636754 View attachment 1636756 View attachment 1636757
We brought her inside to sleep again last night and took her back outside this morn when we let the chickens and ducks out for the day. This afternoon I decided that since her and little Luna were bonding so nicely that I would bring her on the duck side of the fence and I put Noah in the chicken side. Just for a little bit. I wanted her to get to know Xena a little better and have access to the pool. Then I brought Noah in and monitored then. I had to try and interrupt him from biting at her feathers a few times. Eventually I ended up putting her back on the chicken side. We will bring her in again tonight but that just isn't a long term solution. The duck coop isn't set up in a way where I can have all of them in it and somehow separate from one another. Any suggestions on how to help them get to a point of tolerating/accepting of her other than what I am already doing? I don't have another "house" for her to go in or a garage or anything. I also don't want to force them to be in small quarters (their coop) and Noah plucked her feathers out and hurt her or whatever. I think the new duck is young. I just don't know how old for sure. I'm thinking she's only a little over a couple months old, but again, I don't know for sure so I could be wrong. I am positive it is a female tho. No rasp and a loud clear quack. Thx for any advice.
View attachment 1636772 View attachment 1636773

Your new young duck is very pretty. Do you know what kind she is?

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Your new young duck is very pretty. Do you know what kind she is?

Thank you. Possibly Khaki Campbell maybe? That's what the wife told me. She could be a Mallard Mix? I'm just not sure. I didn't know Khakis had that kind of penciling on their feathers like Rouens and Mallards do. I thought they were more solid colored but I googled and saw some pics that look like she does. I haven't owned any of that breed so I am unfamiliar with them personally.

 

[chickens really]

She is a He...That's a young Drake and looks to be a Rouen cross.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

She is a He...That's a young Drake and looks to be a Rouen cross.

Actually it is most definitely a female. There is no doubt about it. Super loud quack and no rasp whatsoever. But thank you.

 

[Wild Duck]

When I integrated my flock, my drakes were also my issue. I could not put the new ducks in the run! So one day I let out only my hens and the new ducks, and brought them to a new part of the yard that they weren't totally familiar with. I let out my drakes and they went at the new ducks, I quickly tossed them back in the run and left them for hours, able to see the non aggressive ducks playing. When I let them out again I tossed some mealworms out and there has been no issues since. Not sure if it was time, not introducing in their home, or the mealworms but my guess would be all 3 did it. I'd also guess your experience will also go from psycho killer drakes to happy flock in a moment's notice if you keep working at it!

 

[quackiemama]

Thank you. Possibly Khaki Campbell maybe? That's what the wife told me. She could be a Mallard Mix? I'm just not sure. I didn't know Khakis had that kind of penciling on their feathers like Rouens and Mallards do. I thought they were more solid colored but I googled and saw some pics that look like she does. I haven't owned any of that breed so I am unfamiliar with them personally.

She is very pretty. I hope all goes well with integrating all duckies!

 

[Animal family]

She is so cute! Please keep us posted! And what have you named her?