Integrating ducks help! Younger vs almost year old.

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Ok I need some advice on how to integrate my older ducks w my younger ones. The younger ones actually chase off my oldest hen. (They’ll chase off the Drake too.)


The older ones are scared of them.


We’ve put them in the same pen & removed the geese from the ducklings as they all seem to think they’re a unit.


But they’re staying in their segregated corners.





With the exception of the Drake who is in solitary confinement due to him attacking and mounting the ducklings- if he doesn’t run from them. Which makes no sense. He will run from them, be scared. Then come back and he’s trying his mating crap.





I’m assuming the spring hormones is causing the Drake to act up. (He’s challenging my hubby too. Comes charging at him, circles his feet, bites at his shoes, when he will go to leave the coop or pen, the duck will act like he’s chased him out. Lol)





You can see from the photo that’s about as close as the hen will get & the leader of the ducklings will start opening its mouth to warn her away.





Any advice??

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s so funny to see adult ducks afraid of ducklings. Did you start with having the duckling on one side of a fenced in area and the adults on the other? This is really the best way to introduce then after a week or more up to ducks and youngsters you can start letting them be together with supervision while tossing mealworms or something else they love out so they are more focused on eating than each other. It does take time but they will merge into one flock eventually. And the drake needs to be watched because until the ducklings are of laying age 4-5 months old they
should not be mated. A large dog crate inside the coop can keep them together at night without anyone being scared or injured

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

It’s so funny to see adult ducks afraid of ducklings. Did you start with having the duckling on one side of a fenced in area and the adults on the other? This is really the best way to introduce then after a week or more up to ducks and youngsters you can start letting them be together with supervision while tossing mealworms or something else they love out so they are more focused on eating than each other. It does take time but they will merge into one flock eventually. And the drake needs to be watched because until the ducklings are of laying age 4-5 months old they
should not be mated. A large dog crate inside the coop can keep them together at night without anyone being scared or injured

LOL It's crazy. Like they're all talking the same language, do they not realize they're the same?! lol
Actually we did. They could see each other side by side for awhile. Even added the adults in w supervision once or twice for just a bit.

Ahh, ok so basically lets just keep the ignorant male in solitary for awhile then. lol Maybe he will tone down. lol
We actually have a dog crate in there & they're asleep in there together, while the adults are free to roam the coop.

Thank you for your advice again @Miss Lydia !! lol You always coming through.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Those teenagers will eventually be put in their place it takes time.
When my Muscovy hatched for the first time she had 9 little ones following her around and they got confused to which was their mommy since all 3 females were white well they were trying to follow the other two sisters who wanted nothing to do with them and they were running from the ducklings and if ducks could literally scream I do believe they would have been screaming it was quite a sight with the two Muscovy running from the ducklings and mama Muscovy running behind her ducklings trying to get their attention. Lol

 

[Jenbirdee]

yes keep drake in jail, Ive done this duck integrating thing several times now and am doing it again currently adding 4 new ducklings to my flock of 9 all lady ducks some of whom are 7 years old and they are getting tired of this new addition stuff. Apprently all new creatures added to the flock HAVE COOTIES so they avoid them like the plague at first but then there will be some fights until they figure it out. I also use a dog crate inside the coop for a while.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

yes keep drake in jail, Ive done this duck integrating thing several times now and am doing it again currently adding 4 new ducklings to my flock of 9 all lady ducks some of whom are 7 years old and they are getting tired of this new addition stuff. Apprently all new creatures added to the flock HAVE COOTIES so they avoid them like the plague at first but then there will be some fights until they figure it out. I also use a dog crate inside the coop for a while.

“COOTIIIEESSS RUNAWAY!!!” - adult ducks lololol

Thanks for the tips.
So far they’re doing okay w our hen, just being cocky little snots if she gets to close. Little sassy things. Lol
Now Vanilla, the drake, is highly displeased with his new abode. And let’s us know often. Lol

 

[Jenbirdee]

“COOTIIIEESSS RUNAWAY!!!” - adult ducks lololol

Thanks for the tips.
So far they’re doing okay w our hen, just being cocky little snots if she gets to close. Little sassy things. Lol
Now Vanilla, the drake, is highly displeased with his new abode. And let’s us know often. Lol

poor drakey boy I know it’s sad to see them unhappy

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

poor drakey boy I know it’s sad to see them unhappy

I don't have too much pity on him after his abhorrent behavior the last few days & tonight.

He was pacing the fence when he was finally freed, this evening, before we moved the ducklings, for over 5min. Frantic to get to them. When we allowed him in just to see, he made a beeline for one of them & instantly tried to grab it's neck. He was quickly removed. But he's just being a complete butthole. Idc hormones or not, that's not a way to behave. lol

 

[The Golden Girl]

Ok, thoroughly enjoying this convo!
We rescued a pair of Pekin ducklings last summer and one turned out to be a drake. He’s just driving his mate crazy trying to mate her all. day. long!!! We just rescued two adult female Silver Appleyards on Monday and we’re trying to figure out how to integrate them. Gotta give our lady Pekin a break! We’ve kept chickens for 11 years, but we’re still learning about duck behavior (this is also our first fella in the flock). Should I introduce them through a fence, then all the ladies, then the drake, then the chickens? Go for it and put them right in the run with the others as the person we got them from advised?! Let everyone out in the yard and see how it goes?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Put the ladies together with drake on one side girls on the other I’d let them be this way for a week then start letting them all be together with supervision. Toss treats out so they are focused on food but most likely the drake is going to go after the two new girls since he’s never mated them. It will take time but hopefully having 3 females will keep him from over mating one particularly. If you want to keep them all together over night having a dog crate set up in the coop will keep the drake from stressing the females out over night.
Bless you for rescuing these ducks!