Introducing females to my boys - help please :)

[ktduck]

Hey there all,

My 2 khaki campbell boys are about 6 months old. I want to introduce 2 female buff orpingtons in with them. I am just wondering if I would need to keep them seperated at night times? Or would that just depend how they get along?

I'm a little scared cos I certainly don't want any fights. They used to fight with the ducks next door but now they are the best of friends and talk to each other all day by the fence. Any information would be great as I am going to see the buff orpington girls on Monday. (2 days time)
Thanks

Ktduck

 

[Amiga]

Proceed with caution, it is up to the ducks. Occasionally I hear of pairs of ducks doing very well together, but regularly, I read about drakes picking on one duck and harming her seriously.

I like to let them see each other for a while from opposite sides of a fence, then with supervised time together. Go with what you see, and I would not assume the best, as far as how they would be without supervision.

I would go slow - the lives of the females depend on you. And perhaps the drakes, because sometimes they will fight when there are females involved. And your drakes may just be mellow and wonderful. I don't know how to predict what ducks will do

 

[subhanalah]

If throwing females into the mix, you really should try to get at least 3-4 ducks per drake, ideally. Minimally, and cautiously, 2 per drake.
JHO

 

[ktduck]

Hmm... I really don't think I could get that many ducks, we live in a rental and the owners are okay with a few but saying you need a minimum of 3 ducks per drake I really don't think they would allow it, plus our pen would not hold 8 ducks.
The reason I wanted to get some girls is because they obviously have hormonal needs and I hate that they cannot fulfil that. Is that ridiculous? Would it be better for me not to even get anymore ducks and just leave them be?
I understand that no one can predict how they will behave together...I don't know what to do anymore?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hmm... I really don't think I could get that many ducks, we live in a rental and the owners are okay with a few but saying you need a minimum of 3 ducks per drake I really don't think they would allow it, plus our pen would not hold 8 ducks.
The reason I wanted to get some girls is because they obviously have hormonal needs and I hate that they cannot fulfil that. Is that ridiculous? Would it be better for me not to even get anymore ducks and just leave them be?
I understand that no one can predict how they will behave together...I don't know what to do anymore?

Since you are unable to support the numbers necessary to have a mixed gender flock that would be healthy for all involved, the options I see that you have are:

Keep the bachelor boys as your only ducks
or
re-home one boy and get the remaining duck three girls, which puts you at the same total of four you would have had by adding two females to the two males.

 

[ktduck]

Since you are unable to support the numbers necessary to have a mixed gender flock that would be healthy for all involved, the options I see that you have are:

Keep the bachelor boys as your only ducks
or
re-home one boy and get the remaining duck three girls, which puts you at the same total of four you would have had by adding two females to the two males.

I understand what you mean, but I don't think I could bring myself to seperate them. They have been together since birth and are absolutely inseperable. I think it would cause more heart ache for them. I guess i'll have a bachelor pad until we move to a bigger property. Thanks for your info it's helped alot!

 

[ktduck]

Just a little update..

I decided in the end to get 3 girls. I chatted with the lady who had bred the buff's and she had 9 drakes and 8 ducks, all getting along fine. I have now introduced them into the yard and for the past 2 days they have been fitting in wonderfully. They all sleep in the pen together and there is yet to be any fighting, the girls actually chase the boys around the yard and my boys are not interested in them at all..haha yet!