Integrating Ducks into 1 Flock?

[ajohn151]

Hi all,

I have 4 Black Swede ducks and an Embden goose that were brooded together. They are 5-6 weeks old. I am trying to integrate them into the rest of the flock which consists of 2 Khaki Campbells, 2 Muscovys, 2 Appleyards, and 2 mixed ducks mostly Khaki Campbell/Appleyard/Muscovy. These ducks are 8-9 weeks old and were all brooded together. I have been putting them all together during the day in the duck yard for about a week. There has been bullying from the older ducks but nothing terrible. The younger ducks clear a wide path for the older ducks most of the time. I have been putting the younger flock back in the brooder at night and the older ducks in the coop.

Last night I put the younger ducks and goose in the coop with the older ducks and it was not a good time had for all. There was a lot more bullying and harassment from the older ducks in the coop. Clearly a much smaller confined space promoted that behavior. It was interesting also, some of the older ducks began challenging each other a little. I left them in there for about 20 minutes and then took the younger ducks and goose out and put them in their brooder. They were stressed and not happy with that exercise. Today they are all doing ok, about the same as they have been over the last week.

They are all about the same size now. The younger ducks are slightly smaller but barely, and the goose is much bigger. The goose is a sweetheart and only wants to get along. I was hoping she would help regulate but instead she runs from any sign of trouble. She is most interested in eating grass and swimming.

Please give me tips on how to get them better integrated and especially how to get them all in the coop together at night. The coop is plenty large enough it is 8'x8' so 64 square feet. I am ready to not have to bring the younger ones in every night . Also please let me know if I am doing something incorrectly. I am NOT experienced so I am looking to the community here for help.

Thank you!
A

 

[ronott1]

@Isaac 0 might have duck specific advice

With chickens, you can use a see but no touch method-- build a pen next to them and let them get used to each other. After they seem ok with the situation, try adding them to the flock at night

 

[Isaac 0]

@ronott1 , has it spot on!

Sadly, most birds do not take well to newcomers, so integrating them can be a real challenge, and laborious task. It takes lots of patience and commitment, but just keep up with what you're doing. The no touch-but see method works great, but if they get along in a free range setting I'd probably just leave them out during the day if they seem to do fine. Always a good idea to provide plenty of feed/water sources, and areas for the younger ducks to hide. After some time of doing that the older ducks will become accompanied to the younger ducks, and should eventually stop bothering them when they're in the coop.

 

[ronott1]

@ronott1 , has it spot on!

Sadly, most birds do not take well to newcomers, so integrating them can be a real challenge, and laborious task. It takes lots of patience and commitment, but just keep up with what you're doing. The no touch-but see method works great, but if they get along in a free range setting I'd probably just leave them out during the day if they seem to do fine. Always a good idea to provide plenty of feed/water sources, and areas for the younger ducks to hide. After some time of doing that the older ducks will become accompanied to the younger ducks, and should eventually stop bothering them when they're in the coop.

Thanks for helping!