Introducing a muscovy hen into a chicken flock?

[currythecockerel]

Hi all, I am in desperate need of advice on what to do about my muscovy hen and silkie hen. Earlier this year we rescued a Muscovy hen and put her with our two silkies temporarily while we figured out what to do with her. Unfortunately one of the silkies passed away and since then the duck ‘Misty’ has gotten really close to our silkie ‘Fluffy’. At my dad's property we recently installed an 8x3meter Chicken run to put his four hens in (to separate them from our roos). Now that Misty and Fluffy only have each other, I would feel guilty separating them and am wondering if it would be a good idea to put them into this chicken run as well. The environment at my dad's property would be much nicer for them with lots of grass and nature, but I am wary that introducing new members to a flock can be very difficult, and that bullying could occur - especially considering one is a duck and the other a very small bantam hen. Both Misty and Fluffy have very gentle personalities, but the four other hens can be a bit feisty - even with each other. Would it be a better idea to just give the two away? Or maybe adopt another silkie/muscovy/both (before putting them in the run)? And if it seems alright to try introduce them, are there any tips on how - eg. putting them in at night so they wake up together? I would be very grateful for any advice! Thanks for reading.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

I have both a few ducks and a whole lot of silkies.

You usually can't put one silkie with other chickens as they are smaller, more docile, and will be picked on. I'd get a couple more silkies if you can.

As for the duck, she will be fine if you can find her one more duck of any basic breed. Then those two will hang together.

Then as far as integrating, the ducks will be fine. Your silkies should be penned up somewhere near your dad's chickens so they can see each other, but they can't mingle. I'd do this for at least a week, and that'll get them used to each other before just putting them together. The usual quarantine of 2 weeks to a month I'd say was unnecessary as you'd already know your dad's chickens were healthy, plus any possible viruses or diseases would have already been passed between your places.

 

[ruthhope]

Hi all, I am in desperate need of advice on what to do about my muscovy hen and silkie hen. Earlier this year we rescued a Muscovy hen and put her with our two silkies temporarily while we figured out what to do with her. Unfortunately one of the silkies passed away and since then the duck ‘Misty’ has gotten really close to our silkie ‘Fluffy’. At my dad's property we recently installed an 8x3meter Chicken run to put his four hens in (to separate them from our roos). Now that Misty and Fluffy only have each other, I would feel guilty separating them and am wondering if it would be a good idea to put them into this chicken run as well. The environment at my dad's property would be much nicer for them with lots of grass and nature, but I am wary that introducing new members to a flock can be very difficult, and that bullying could occur - especially considering one is a duck and the other a very small bantam hen. Both Misty and Fluffy have very gentle personalities, but the four other hens can be a bit feisty - even with each other. Would it be a better idea to just give the two away? Or maybe adopt another silkie/muscovy/both (before putting them in the run)? And if it seems alright to try introduce them, are there any tips on how - eg. putting them in at night so they wake up together? I would be very grateful for any advice! Thanks for reading.

I don't know about adding silkies-- I defer to the advice that you should get a couple more before adding a silkie to other chichens

But I disagree rather strongly with getting 1 duck ANY variety before adding the muscovy female to the chickens. Muscovy do not speak the language of other ducks and there is no guarantee a muscovy female will get on with other breeds of domestic ducks, and it is very unlikely to be buddies with a mallard derived duck. I think you will be fine adding her to the chickens with her existing buddy, the silkie you already have. If there turns out to be an issue with the chickens, you might have to give the muscovy away. Of get another muscovy female so that the two can be separated from the chickens.

 

[Debbie292d]

I don't know about adding silkies-- I defer to the advice that you should get a couple more before adding a silkie to other chichens

But I disagree rather strongly with getting 1 duck ANY variety before adding the muscovy female to the chickens. Muscovy do not speak the language of other ducks and there is no guarantee a muscovy female will get on with other breeds of domestic ducks, and it is very unlikely to be buddies with a mallard derived duck. I think you will be fine adding her to the chickens with her existing buddy, the silkie you already have. If there turns out to be an issue with the chickens, you might have to give the muscovy away. Of get another muscovy female so that the two can be separated from the chickens.

Thank you, @ruthhope for explaining so I know more about muscovys now. We just added two unknown breed ducks to our lone buff orpington duck, and I was of the mind, ducks are happy if they are with ducks, as they sure are here!

 

[ruthhope]

Thank you, @ruthhope for explaining so I know more about muscovys now. We just added two unknown breed ducks to our lone buff orpington duck, and I was of the mind, ducks are happy if they are with ducks, as they sure are here!

Most ducks are happy with other ducks -- its muscovy that are the exception!! I have pekins and muscovy rescues -- all drakes as they are difficult to rehome. The pekins sort of live on the outside of the muscovy -- not only do muscovy speak a different language: they don't do the head bobbing that pekins do and pekins don't to the "fly catching" like muscovy do. Having a pekin with muscovy is better than having a lone pekin, but the pekins get bitten by the muscovy pecking order behavior, and so I have to have my pekins sleeping in dog crates in the coop to keep them safe. My pekins often come running into their crate in the coop when they are being chased by a muscovy: they know its their safe space

 

[currythecockerel]

I don't know about adding silkies-- I defer to the advice that you should get a couple more before adding a silkie to other chichens

But I disagree rather strongly with getting 1 duck ANY variety before adding the muscovy female to the chickens. Muscovy do not speak the language of other ducks and there is no guarantee a muscovy female will get on with other breeds of domestic ducks, and it is very unlikely to be buddies with a mallard derived duck. I think you will be fine adding her to the chickens with her existing buddy, the silkie you already have. If there turns out to be an issue with the chickens, you might have to give the muscovy away. Of get another muscovy female so that the two can be separated from the chickens.

Thank you for the advice! I do think I was more worried about the silkie getting picked on, but it sounds like she would likely remain buddies with the duck - and the other chickens should hopefully mind their business

 

[StinkyAcres]

I agree that introducing the Silkie will be more difficult. I had very few problems introducing my Muscovy to my chickens. Muscovy are bossy birds (at least mine are) and the chickens learn to leave the Muscovy alone, but as long as the Muscovy are left alone they don't bother the chickens. Muscovy WILL bother other ducks though.