Integrating chickens and ducks

[FowlPrincess]

I am relatively new to ducks and chickens. I originally got 2 chickens and a duck (a boy). they are now about 4.5 months old. When they were about a month old, I got 3 more (female) runner ducks. When I integrated them, it was an immediate success. Then I got 3 more chickens. They are about a month younger than the 3 female ducks. They sleep in the duck/chicken house in a large pen to keep them safe. During the day they are all in a large fenced garden area. The young chickens stay on the opposite side of the yard as the ducks usually. The older chickens go over and eat by the younger ones and pretty much leave them alone as long as they are not in the older chickens "personal space". However....Andrew....the male duck occasionally hunts them down and chases them all around the garden.

How long do you think this will go on? Forever? I have had them sleeping together (with the safety fence between them) for about a month. The female ducks are fine and the chickens are fine, but Andrew is quite the butthead

about the whole thing. Any suggestions?

I have a younger chick in the house and two ducklings that will need to integrate in a few months...JOY. Now that I read that all the posts, I realize I should have gotten them all at the same time.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks all!

 

[sourland]

Every now and then a drake will get a screw loose in his head (especially if raised with chickens) and decide that he is supposed to breed the chickens. This can severely injure or perhaps even kill the chickens. Keep an eye on 'Andrew' to make sure that is not his intent. If he is trying to breed the chickens, the only solution is separation.

 

[FowlPrincess]

He isn't. He does not chase or try to breed the chickens he was raised with at all. He only chases the 3 new chickens who I assume he does not consider part of his flock.