Integrating a New Duck

[FeatherLace]

I recently got a new baby duck but the owners lied about her age. They said she was 3 weeks old but shes the size of a newly hatched. I set her in with my current ducks (supervised closely!) For a few minutes, but the other ducks hate her! The geese, guineas, and turkeys treat her like they are their own already, snuggling up to her etc., but the other ducks take every chance they can to bite and shake her neck. I separated her with bricks between her and the rest, but the poor girl is trying so hard to get back with the other ducks even though shes been bitten every time. Right now they can hear her but not see her. What should I do??? Shes meant to be a mate for the very khaki thats biting her!

 

[FeatherLace]

Of course. They are young and by leaving them together they develop a bond. Separated they will never.

So you think keep the see-dont-touch method for about 2 weeks will work and they still create a bond?

 

[Miss Lydia]

When I had ducklings of a couple weeks in age difference I made a divider so they could live side by side and see each other for a while I had a piece of hardware cloth I wrapped the edges in gorilla tape it worked perfect they lived like this for a couple days then I started putting them together took less than a week to fully integrate.

 

[Isaac 0]

...........You should be careful about integrating a duckling that size.... there should be a few weeks so the can see and hear each other but can't touch before actually putting them together......... if you put them together right away you're bound to end up with either a dead duckling or a severely injured one.....not good. Let them get used to each other first.... then take them out in short bits with each other.

 

[FeatherLace]

...........You should be careful about integrating a duckling that size.... there should be a few weeks so the can see and hear each other but can't touch before actually putting them together......... if you put them together right away you're bound to end up with either a dead duckling or a severely injured one.....not good. Let them get used to each other first.... then take them out in short bits with each other.

I've had success integrating chickens of slightly different sizes so I wanted to give it a VERY CLOSELY SUPERVISED shot, and it didn't work so I separated them immediatly. I didn't already have accommodations for her before I brought her home because the guy told me she was the same size as mine before I drive 2 hours to get her. Once I was there and held her, I was like "Well...no turning back now" so I brought her home anyways. Now they're on see-dont-touch time. The guineas and turkeys are her size though and they integrated quite well immediatly, so that's one good thing. I was really hoping to buy my khaki a mate tho...

 

[DuckGirl77]

Integration can take some time. I would not keep a young duckling with full grown ducks since unfortunately they could seriously hurt her. To help integration, I would put up a barrier for at least a couple weeks so that she can see the other ducks but cannot be hurt by them. Something like hardware cloth would work well. Don't forget she'll need a heat source as well if she's only a few days old. The barrier will help to slowly integrate her to the flock.

You also mentioned she wants to get back with the others. Since she should not be with them yet, I would consider getting another duckling close in age to be her companion. Ducks are very social animals, so it makes sense that she wants to be with the others. In the meantime, try to spend time with her to keep her company. Some have had success giving a mirror or a stuffed animal as well.

Good luck, and I hope everything works out well!

 

[FeatherLace]

Integration can take some time. I would not keep a young duckling with full grown ducks since unfortunately they could seriously hurt her. To help integration, I would put up a barrier for at least a couple weeks so that she can see the other ducks but cannot be hurt by them. Something like hardware cloth would work well. Don't forget she'll need a heat source as well if she's only a few days old. The barrier will help to slowly integrate her to the flock.

You also mentioned she wants to get back with the others. Since she should not be with them yet, I would consider getting another duckling close in age to be her companion. Ducks are very social animals, so it makes sense that she wants to be with the others. In the meantime, try to spend time with her to keep her company. Some have had success giving a mirror or a stuffed animal as well.

Good luck, and I hope everything works out well!

My current ducks are only 3 weeks old, not even feathered yet. My little guineas and turkeys accept her as their own tho with no problems, so I've separated the two, with ducks on one side and the guineas on the other side (hardware cloth is separating them). The baby duck is with the guineas now and she seems much more comfortable. (Theyre all the same size rn)

 

[FeatherLace]

Photos for age and size reference. First pic is my current khaki and the second is the new one

 

[DuckGirl77]

My current ducks are only 3 weeks old, not even feathered yet. My little guineas and turkeys accept her as their own tho with no problems, so I've separated the two, with ducks on one side and the guineas on the other side (hardware cloth is separating them). The baby duck is with the guineas now and she seems much more comfortable. (Theyre all the same size rn)

Thanks for the clarification; it sounds like you have a good setup for her . I would just wait a couple weeks for the others to get used to her and try again. I integrated mine of different ages after they had seen each other for a few weeks from across a barrier and had no issues. They can be nasty with an unfamiliar duck for some reason though. Glad your guineas and turkeys took to her!

 

[FeatherLace]

Thanks for the clarification; it sounds like you have a good setup for her . I would just wait a couple weeks for the others to get used to her and try again. I integrated mine of different ages after they had seen each other for a few weeks from across a barrier and had no issues. They can be nasty with an unfamiliar duck for some reason though. Glad your guineas and turkeys took to her!

Of course! I'd never put that small of a duck with grown ducks, or any birds of vastly different size together. The guineas and turkeys immediatly took to her, as soon as I set her down they were by her side and cuddling next to her, hiding under and over her, etc with no aggression whatsoever. The geese are pretty indifferent to her, but the ducks IMMEDIATLY were like "ATTACK HER NECK". I can't set her down even near them because they'll chase her and bite down on her neck, it leaves her neck all red and i don't know if this means they want to kill her, or what. Im hoping since the guineas and turkeys like both sets of waterfowl that when i put them back together the ducks will see that the guineas accept her and accept her too?

I'm bringing my Pekin duckling to a new home tomorrow, but my Khaki will be staying here. So would I be able to integrate her faster this way since there's only gonna be one that doesn't like her? Or will the duck still be in kill mode? I'm not sure how ducks minds work...