Introducing young (new) ducks to older ducks

[Loc20chick]

Happy to say they did fine and this morning when I opened up and served their food they all ate together no pecking

@jtn42248 I look forward to seeing your larger pen. I also plan on expanding their run and putting a roof with DH help to make room for them as they grow, their current night pen is too small.

 

[Quack-161]

A man told me to introduce the new ones at night.he has done it that way for years .It worked for me.
I am hatching turkeys & ducks right now .4 eggs left to hatch out of 14.So far I got 4 duckys & 2 turks live & well. 5 adult ducks & a female turkey patrol my yard daily.
Enjoy.
Pekins are good pets but a male gets quite grumpy without a mate.At least mine did.

 

[Carlzz1479]

Hi everyone..wow this thread is soo helpful I have six ducks four are trout runners and two are cambell cross runners 5 female one drake I have two other baby ducks khaki cross runners they are fully feathered now I tried slowly today to integrate them but the older cambell crosses just attacked the two new ones I've had them all since day old+ ..will it just get better each day with small amounts of time or do I just bite the bullet and put them in their pen and run and wait??..its soo nerve racking watching they really want to be accepted ..thanks guys any advice please ..All the way in UK

 

[Carlzz1479]

This is part of my yard these are the flock the new two are actually hiding next to me

 

[jtn42248]

Hi everyone..wow this thread is soo helpful I have six ducks four are trout runners and two are cambell cross runners 5 female one drake I have two other baby ducks khaki cross runners they are fully feathered now I tried slowly today to integrate them but the older cambell crosses just attacked the two new ones I've had them all since day old+ ..will it just get better each day with small amounts of time or do I just bite the bullet and put them in their pen and run and wait??..its soo nerve racking watching they really want to be accepted ..thanks guys any advice please ..All the way in UK

I have 17 ducklings that I have been integrating with 6 adult ducks. They are now comfortably sharing their run and the free range but they are kept separate at night...in the same coop but with a divider between the two groups. When I moved them out to the coop it was with this divided area in place. That way they could see and hear each other without contact. After about a week and a half or two weeks I could safely let them out together with no problem. My next step is to remove the divider at night. Try keeping them in separate areas but so that they can see and hear one another. Always make sure the little ones have a place to run and hide to be safe. It takes time. Be patient.

 

[Carlzz1479]

Jtn42248 ..Thankyou!..I'm going add divider what I'm doing right now is they are in a pen opposite so during day they can be seen and heard but not near so that will be my next step..thanks for the advice fingers crossed won't be too long but like you say I will be patient

 

[ducklucky]

I will jump in here and say I just had an experience with very new ducklings. One was about 5 days old when the next hatched, got along fine, but was quite obvious the first was a male. Then 5 days later, another hatched, tried to introduce her and the boy darn near killed her. Took her out, put her back, over and over, but the same thing happened. Removed the male into a separate box, he is none too happy, but the other two are getting along just fine, so he is a villain. Threatened him I was going to put him out with the big girls if he didn't behave, but of course he didn't listen to me. So he will live a solitary life for a few weeks. You never know, there may be just one who gets things stirred up, and the rest go along with the bullying. They can easily maim or hurt a newborn, so constant vigilance is necessary for the first few hours. If everyone is getting along at that point, you are probably home free. Good luck! This was my first bullying, and I was appalled at his behavior, but maybe he will come around if he gets lonely enough.

 

[ducklucky]

I would say the more the young ones grow, the better chances are they will at least be able to defend themselves. Also, as I stated here in another post, there may be ONE bully who stirs things up, so if you can pick that one out, do what you must. One can incite a riot almost!!! No real other suggestions, but sounds like you may have a bully. Watch and wait, you will pick him out.

 

[Carlzz1479]

Omg ducklucky I think you may be right??..Clara (my big cambell cross runner) instigated it and they all flocked there was pecking neck holding they were then all over them..The younger two ended up behind me running as fast as they could to their pen bless them ..Clara is the bossiest the loudest , first one to eat ..she did definitely start things and now you say that I think you could be right..I'm going to observe in the morning and try again thankyou xx

 

[Carlzz1479]

I would be lost without this site !!! X