Introducing new ducks to an existing flock- Our story and Questions

[dustybin]

We just lost our male Pekin duck yesterday., He paired well with a white crested when they were introduced. Last fall we purchased 2 Roen ducklings. They all turned out to be males! The male Pekin and the male Roens tolerated each other when we introduced them. .Yesterday we purchased 3 Khaki Campbells. ( one male and 2 females) and one Blue Swedish hen in an attempt to make the male/female ratio a little better. The blue Swedish hen became very aggressive toward the Khaki Campbells (fortunately through the fence). Our flock (The white crested female and male Roens) discovered that there were new ducks in the pen and came in from the lake to check out things. The blue Swedish female escaped and chased the white crested and two male Roens down to the lake. We can't find either the white crested female or the Blue Swedish. The poor Roen males are sitting near the bank of the lake quite bewildered by whatever transpired between the females.
I have not let the Khaki Campbells out of the pen( thankfully thay are safe in the pen and not on our lake!
! got 2 eggs from them this AM I plan to leave the Khakis in the pen and let well enough alone with them. My husband will want to let the Khakis out on the lake, I know.
1. Am I right to provide for them and keep them in the large pen as layers w/o access to the lake?
2. Should I add any females for the Roen males who live on the lake and will not come back into the pen?
HELP!!


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[emmajane07]

This past Saturday was my first day integrating new flock members. I currently have a female Pekin and Male Rouen. I was introducing them to 6 chickens and 3 female ducks. My female Pekin could have cared less, the Rouen was more upset over the ordeal. From my reading you will want to leave them in a pen so that your current flock can see and smell them, but not be able to attack each other. As far as how long you'll need to do this--you will just have to see how the birds react. Once you do let them all out to mingle, there may be some arguments to readjust the pecking order. I've also read that introducing flock members can be very stressful. If I were you, I would leave everyone the way they are right now, to calm down and get use to the surroundings and the new ducks. I'm sure yesterdays events have everyone confused and scared. I'm sure eventually you will be able to let the Khakis out and about with no issues.

Are the ducks by the lake safe from predators?

Any sign of the ducks that went missing?

 

[WildThang]

Ducks are notorious for hating any form of change. They do not like to be moved from their environment, or to have new members, they like the way things are. I hate to say it but they are like some old men who like their routine, and don't like any thing to change that. Like a grandpa who would rather make a outhouse, then to build in a new bathroom. When there is clearly the room for it. Or doesn't want to change his guest room to a baby room. It's all about the same attitude. They have a fight or flight attitude, same with any other animal. If you push them to fast they will do either or. Sounds like the female had the fight, and the others had the flight. I would go down to your lake every day. Throw them some food, get them use to you. To recognize that you have the food, to get them to follow you if you don't want them at the lake. Or at least to get them to go to their enclosure at night. For the food, Make sure you keep any that aren't at the lake in a enclosed pen, so the others can see, smell and hear them. That way they will get use to each other. They will know and you will know with their reactions towards each other when they can all be put together. Now there will be pecking at each other initially to figure out who is the dominant ones who are second and who are the poo on guys. Make sure you check every day at the lake to see if any are missing or injured.

 

[DuckDavies]

We were bought two new ducks to add to our flock of 4. Two ducks in our flock of 4 started fighting at the arrival of the new ducks. We put them all to bed in the same house and they fought all night. They sounded like tumbling potatoes. After 2 days the fighting stopped and they integrated. Now they're a flock of 6. We just kept them together until they sorted out their new pecking order. We also made sure the new ducks knew that we had feed so they would respond to us in the same way as the existing 4 ducks and that helped reinforce that they were in a new flock too.

 

[Sandy Minor]

I just recently rescued two ducks and a chicken I’ve had them at my work for 2weeks on Tuesday I’m going to introduce them to my four ducks and 4 chickens I hope all goes well my girls are pretty laid-back

 

[Miss Lydia]

You'll need to give each set time to get use to each other by using temp fencing or putting your new comers in a very large dog crate so there can be look not touch Usually established flocks don't like new comers and it takes time for all to get use to each other. Chickens can be really aggressive with a new comer.

 

[chickens really]

Your Drake to Hen ratio is way off..One Drake to that many Hens would work.Separate the drakes from the Hens and only run one Drake with them..

 

[Brookec86]

I just recently rescued two ducks and a chicken I’ve had them at my work for 2weeks on Tuesday I’m going to introduce them to my four ducks and 4 chickens I hope all goes well my girls are pretty laid-back

How did it go?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Sandy Minor