I have 7 chickens and 3 ducks. They are all female, live together, and get along well. Someone wants to give us 2 adult ducks (rescue). One is female, the other male. I am worried that if we take the ducks, we will no longer have peace and harmony. I cannot tolerate animals getting injured. However, these 2 ducks do not have a home and may lose their lives. Do I try introducing them to my flock or are the odds against them getting along?
When introducing new birds keep yours and the rescues seperate but in eyesight of each other. Give them time to adjust to each other about 4 days. then let them mingle. There may be a bit of fighting aka pecking the first 2 or 3 days but then they shuld be fine.
A drake may try to mate with chickens and that could be fatal for them. It does not always happen, but it is a possibility. When I added a drake and two ducks to my flock of all female ducks, it took a few weeks for everyone (mostly Einz, my runner) to calm down. Now everything is fine. But they were separated for several days at all times - they could see each other. Then they were separated at night only, then finally they could be left together.
Typically the drake will leave the female chickens alone if he has enough of his own ladies to take care of. I have 3 chickens, 2 female ducks, and one drake...he doesn't even care about the chickens.
