Introducing young (new) ducks to older ducks

[haileebucket]

I have six 5 month old Swedish and Cayuga ducks, one Drake and 5 females. My husband found a baby chicken on the side of the road and brought him home so of course we had to get him a buddy. So I found the Pekin Mallard mix duckling. And I have been keeping them in the yard during the day in a round pen together. At night I've been keeping them in the duck house separated from the other ducks using wired mesh. The chicken will jump out and follow the Ducks around at a distance. Sometimes they will nip at him but have never actually hurt him. My duckling is getting close to the size of the larger ducks and is fully feathered but doesn't quite have a quack yet. My question is when is a good time to put them together and how could I do it also what could I expect to happen and when should I intervene? I have put the little duck with the bigger and they chased him pulled out his feathers. last time they just grabbed his neck the male and one female but I intervened.

 

[courtneybella]

Hello! I've got a spoiled 5 month old mallard. I had four eggs and he was the only one who made it through the hatching process. It took a while to get another duck to accompany him. At about 2 months, we introduced a pekin and the mallard was scared of him/her. Eventually, the two became best friends. Sadly, the pekin suddenly died of heart problems. So I brought in two beautiful female buff orpingtons. Ever since they were small, the mallard has hated them. Now, they are a month and a half old and about full size, bigger than him, and he still bullies them. He constantly chases them out of his pond. And when there is food around, forget it. The mallard rips feathers from them and bites them. Currently, they are living in the same pen but I split the pen in half with a baby gate. Is there any way we can get them to like each other faster? They've been together for 2 weeks now and the mallard still hates the girls. What can I do to make them all friends ?

 

[sjbtigger19]

We have a coop and run with 9 chickens...how would you go about introducing our babies?
--> we have one call duck, one Roen duck, and two bantam cochin chickens who are best friends...
Should we just keep them separate?



Thanks!!!

 

[quackers619]

We have a coop and run with 9 chickens...how would you go about introducing our babies?
--> we have one call duck, one Roen duck, and two bantam cochin chickens who are best friends...
Should we just keep them separate?



Thanks!!!

That is one of the cutest pictures I have seen

 

[BeamMeUpScotty]

@ 3mo my girls are still harassed by the year old drakes. They've been in the coup for about 5 wks, but in a brooder. Let them out of that about 3wks ago. Separated at night, free range by day. Runners. I have a 1yo Chinese goose with the drakes, a pair of 3mo with the ducks. They are not socializing yet, but at last the babies are venturing out, first the coup, now the run. Very delayed because of the drakes...but once the gander realizes what he is, I think things will settle. Or not.
My young goose is very attached to me. Everyone else just puts up with me because they need me.

 

[Yukonn15]

Thank you for the input I've been trying to figure out when to reunite our mama and now two six week old babies with our other drake and female. I think I'll wait a little longer. We were allowing our group be fore babies to go to the small pond behind the horses stable, they were adorable to watch waddling around. They always came back to the enclosure, but we found out that foxes hunt all the time, anytime, middle of the day and in the pouring rain. We lost one of our girls that day. I caught that scoundrel killing my girl and I rescued her but it was too late. Needless to say they all have to stay in the enclosure now. An old trick did work so the fox wouldn't climb over the fence ad try again. I turned on a radio in the chicken coop, the sound of people voices does a wonderful job of keeping predators away.

 

[Yav]

I have 3 adult Aylesburies. 1M 2F. I had always wanted to bring on chicks so bought an incubator / brooder. It all went perfectly. But nnow I have 3 adults that bully the 3 JUVs constantly. If I try to enclosed them together the adults beat the shit out of the JUVs. They are now ten weeks in almost the same size. Problem is I have to keep them seperate. Winter is coming and we aare reaching sub zero now. I do my best for the chicks. But they must be freezing at night. Obviously the ideal solution would be for all six to flock. They could all snuugl up and so forth but I seem to be missing trick. How do I get them all together and happy?

 

[mspfluger1]

Ms Lydia, as always, your suggestions are right on. I sort of thought as much but wanted to check first. We will try this tomorrow or Saturday a.m. as I have to take Duke to the vet...he got a spider bite to the nose and is not comfortable at all. Also, we have a barn next to the existing duck coop that we will be converting into the new duck coop. When done the 24 little darlings will have a pen that is about 12 x 20 just to sleep in...do we spoil our birds or what.

Hello, 1st time posting. I got 3 Peking drake's a year ago. Two of my drakes started picking on my smaller drake to the point that I had to bring to the vet for eye an infection and he had no feathers on back of his neck and was bleeding. When I got them I didn't have them sexed but now I know I have 3 drakes. So I separated the picked on duck (Blue, his name) by himself but still can see and run the fence line with the other 2. He is so wanting to get with the other 2 but the minute I try, the 2 other much bigger Peking attack him and or try to drown him in the pool. So now I got 6 females. 2 females are 6 weeks and they are outside on Blues side but fenced off so they can see and smell each other. The other 4 females are 2 weeks old. I'm planning to put them out with the other 2 females in 2 weeks. Now, my other 2 Pekings get along great together but one is a big bully. So my plan is to get them to intergrate all together eventually. So my question is, how do I intergrate them safely. Blue is more docile, but will show his dominance. I think that's why he was getting picked on from the other 1 Peking that is the biggest of all of them, he is a real bully. Then the other would join in.
Any suggestions I'll try, Ty for any help.

 

[TjStokes]

Hey,I have a question similar to lovemeduckins

I currently have three bachelor ducks, all male, who get along great. its funny, but they actually freak out when they cant see each other. theyll put up a fuss until they are reunited. my question, though, is if i ever bring in a few girls, will this make them instead fight with each other? thanks!

I have the same question!!!! I have 1 year old fat happy Pekin boys named Samuel and Vanilla. We call the "Sam & Nilla" for short. (You actually have to say it out loud to get a good giggle!)
They are very attached to me and sometimes make it hard to even walk. Personal space is not something they care to give. I would love to get add a Runner (for slug control) as well as a Cayugas, and Call duck (just because they are so cool). My fear is that my boy's will become aggressive towards them in a territorial way...or, if there are females in the new additions, will they be aggressive towards each other?

 

[CoriM]

I think you just need to be aware that each male needs 4-5 females for the ratio to be correct and over-mating not to occur. I would really think twice about getting a call female with a male pekin as the size difference will be so much he would probably injure here - same with the runners, they're much smaller. Sounds like you have a good set-up with your two guys right now. Maybe keep the peace, or expand and add about 8 females.