ok so my duck math left me with 1 hen and 1 drake. Some of you may have seen the drama with Jewel getting in with the dogs and spending 5 days in confinement while she healed. She still has blue kote on her and was released and has been hanging a the pond, a good football field away from the coop in the back yard. the house sits between the pond and the coop so they are not visible to the other location. Jewel hasn't even been coming to the house for corn since release and sleeps on top the duck shelter at the pond now ( predator deterrent blinking light must be working).
So in the mean time I got 3 hens and a drake ( yeah I know I didn't need another drake but they needed to rehome him). They are probably a month or 2 younger than Jewel and Jade and the drake hasn't carbuncled up much yet. I kept them 2 days in the coop then yesterday afternoon let them free range in the evening. Well Jade and Jewel must have some how found out and they came up to the back yard. Hissing and bobbing their heads with their wings in this weird upward position. I am guessing they were trying to establish this is their territory.. The foursome wandered away from the 2 but not too far. No fighting but the 2 groups stayed rather separate. At sundown Jade and Jewell returned to the pond. I kept getting between the new and old ducks to prevent the new ones from following.. eventually the 4 went back to the coop and I locked them in for the night ( predator proof). This morning, I let the 4 out to free range for the day. and who should arrive but Jewel and Jade again. When I left the house, Jade was in the coop eating and not sure if Jewel was with him or some of the chickens. The 4 were wandering in the back yard.
So my question is, which is going to be the overriding behavior? Will I be able to convince the 4 to keep sleeping in the coop or will I lose them to the pond? Food doesn't seem to motivate them like it did at the home they came from. But apparently last night they figured it out that they were supposed to go to the coop. All birds are young so I am hoping they will all get along. I am expecting next spring will be rough with the drakes as both become more mature.
So in the mean time I got 3 hens and a drake ( yeah I know I didn't need another drake but they needed to rehome him). They are probably a month or 2 younger than Jewel and Jade and the drake hasn't carbuncled up much yet. I kept them 2 days in the coop then yesterday afternoon let them free range in the evening. Well Jade and Jewel must have some how found out and they came up to the back yard. Hissing and bobbing their heads with their wings in this weird upward position. I am guessing they were trying to establish this is their territory.. The foursome wandered away from the 2 but not too far. No fighting but the 2 groups stayed rather separate. At sundown Jade and Jewell returned to the pond. I kept getting between the new and old ducks to prevent the new ones from following.. eventually the 4 went back to the coop and I locked them in for the night ( predator proof). This morning, I let the 4 out to free range for the day. and who should arrive but Jewel and Jade again. When I left the house, Jade was in the coop eating and not sure if Jewel was with him or some of the chickens. The 4 were wandering in the back yard.
So my question is, which is going to be the overriding behavior? Will I be able to convince the 4 to keep sleeping in the coop or will I lose them to the pond? Food doesn't seem to motivate them like it did at the home they came from. But apparently last night they figured it out that they were supposed to go to the coop. All birds are young so I am hoping they will all get along. I am expecting next spring will be rough with the drakes as both become more mature.
