Introducing new birds to the flock

[Redneckmother]

Hi! I have 3 hens and a male and female duck. The male duck is not very accepting of new hens. Can you offer some advice on introducing new birds to my flock?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I recommend posting this in the Ducks section.....you will get more answers that way I'd bet.

 

[Redneckmother]

Ok thank you! I am guessing chickens are more accepting!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh, are you putting chickens and ducks together?

 

[Redneckmother]

Yes, we raised 2 ducks and 2 chickens together. They are free ranging on my property. Then my husband decided that my daughter could use two new baby chicks. My male duck never accepted them. Until, now he is being forced! My Americauna has grown huge, almost bigger than him. She is no longer afraid of him, but the other "baby" is not so big, (I can't remember what she is called) and still hides alot. I still would like more chickens! But I want them to be safe and live long healthy lives too!

Is not recommended to put them together?

ps I will not be getting anymore ducks.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i have ducks and chickens and house them separately . . . well, except for a new situation. i think if they are free-ranging there should not be too big of a problem. You just want to make sure the drake is not trying to mate the hens, as he can hurt them. But for sleeping quarters or being penned together, ducks are so messy and it seems like everything gets wet. Chickens really need to stay as dry as possible.

All that being said, i have one australorp who decided to start picking and eating her EE friend's feathers. i pulled her out and had nowhere to put her, so temporarily put her in with the ducks. i have 10 female ducks. The coop they sleep in has nest boxes up high where the hen sleeps. The ducks sleep on the floor. The ducks are all afraid of her since she has a beak and isn't afraid to use it. It's not the ideal situation, but seems to be working for now.

It's always tricky putting new birds together. i just hate the pecking order thing. i can handle a certain amount of posturing and fighting, but stop things before they get bloody. And i can't stand to see any of my birds constantly frightened or intimidated. Which is why i ended up with 11 different pens.

 

[Redneckmother]

Oh thank you Collen! I feel the same way. I don't want them to be intimidated or bullied. Thank God I have not seen my male duck mate with anyone but my female. I will have to consider at least penning up the ducks if he can't behave! He causes alot of havoc at times.

 

[MrsRadford]

What is the best way to introduce juvenile birds to the flock? And what's the best age to introduce them?

 

[ThaiDye]

What has worked for me is to put the juvies pen right next to the adults so they can see each other daily but cannot get to each other. My oldest juvies (3 months) could probably go into the adults pen now, except that there are 2 roos there & I don't think they are ready for all the attention the roos will give them. Usually a couple weeks of the adults "meeting" the juvies thru the wire works well for me. I do not let them free range because I have so many predators here so they all have enclosed runs.

 

[MrsRadford]

Thanks! I have them in a large wire dog crate in the coop now. They've been in there since they feathered
Out. Along w/ 2 juvenile pekin ducks. I tried letting the ducks out because theyre almost as big as my rooster. but my rooster kept attacking them. So I put them back in the crate.