Integrating a single duck that thinks its a chicken into a younger duck flock

[Evadig]

If L’Orange does indeed to turn out to be a drake, does your advice change?

Yes, in that case he would need to be separated from the chickens as he can injure them by mating. That’s why it’s better he learns that he’s a duck sooner than later.

However, if L’Orange does turn out to be a drake, he also shouldn’t be trying to mate the ducks until they’re mature (usually between eighteen to twenty-one weeks) so it may be he would have to have his own pen for a bit depending on how hormonal he is.

Should i still toss them together and see what happens?

You could, or do the look-but-don’t touch method once the young ones move outside.

 

[LtDanFan]

Yes, in that case he would need to be separated from the chickens as he can injure them by mating. That’s why it’s better he learns that he’s a duck sooner than later.

However, if L’Orange does turn out to be a drake, he also shouldn’t be trying to mate the ducks until they’re mature (usually between eighteen to twenty-one weeks) so it may be he would have to have his own pen for a bit depending on how hormonal he is.

So far, no evidence of hormonal behavior but i have been watching closely, I know he’s young to be hormonal, and I’m hoping that he’s close enough in age to the females to not harass them until they are of age. There is only about 4-5 weeks between them at most. And maybe he’s younger than i think. I know that Pekins grow fast, and I neglected to ask how old he was when i got him, but i presume only a couple of days or so.

You could, or do the look-but-don’t touch method once the young ones move outside.

I have been taking the younger ducklings outside during the day because their brooder is in the garage. I have been putting them in a covered exercise pen in view of the chickens and L’Orange, just on the other side of the poultry fencing around the chicken yard. Initially, he was curious (especially when they quacked) but now, kind of ignores them.
I would like to put them together, but the youngest ducklings are only about 4 weeks. Is that old enough to leave them outside in a protected poultry pen? The littles are very bonded to the older ducks already as they have been together in the brooder for several weeks now.