Introducing chicks to ducklings

[Justchickens14]

I'm new to ducks and got a group of 8 ducklings this spring. They are about 4 weeks old and all very healthy and doing well. However I have a few questions.

1) I haven't been able to spend as much time with them as I would have liked so they are pretty skittish. Is there any magic trick to get them a little more friendly or do I just have to spend more time with them?

2) I am getting 10 new baby chicks in the next few days and would like to eventually have the ducklings and chicks live together for the rest of their lives in the same coop. What is the best way to integrate the 2 groups together? I know ill have to wait a couple weeks for the chicks to get bigger, but the longer I wait the harder it will be I think.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Amiga]

It's not magic, and yes, time is key, but a few treats regularly, as part of your time with them, will help. Also, many ducks go through an adolescent phase that includes being stark raving terrified of human beings. Again, time, patience, treats, don't come in silently looming above them.

Stay low, make sweet noises, offer treats.

Side by side, separated by poultry fence until everyone is big enough to handle themselves, then careful, patient, introductions, supervised by you. Give everyone treats at the same time, first on opposite sides of the fence, then together.

A little shoving at first doesn't seem to do harm, but when someone grabs someone by the feathers and tries to drag them around, I step in.

 

[Justchickens14]

Thanks! Your description of adolescent ducklings is almost dead on...and very funny. thanks for the tips. I hope that I am able to successfully get both groups happily living together