Is it possible to introduce one muscovey to my chickens

[shaza7]

My son and I have one muscovey duckling. We brought two ducklings to put under my neighbours Muscovey duck that had been sitting for over 6 weeks in a stump on our property (we thought the egg was fertile as there had been a drake next door for a couple of weeks it is no longer there).
Thinking it was too late to put fertile eggs under her we in the end thought, get these 2 ducklings. When we put them under her she went crazy and started attacking them. We brought them inside and in the morning one of them was dead.

My question is do we continue to raise the duckling ALONE inside and later introduce it to our chickens ( 7) plus the neighbours that seem to have moved over the fence or should we get another duckling so that when the time comes to put it outside it blends in better.

The Muscovey duck we tried to put the 2 ducklings under is the only duck on the property.

I do have to confess I did not really want ducks as I have seen the forums on drakes and it scares the hell out of me that we may end up with a drake, I only brought the ducklings as I felt for the lonely broody one down in the stump.

 

[Kevin565]

My son and I have one muscovey duckling. We brought two ducklings to put under my neighbours Muscovey duck that had been sitting for over 6 weeks in a stump on our property (we thought the egg was fertile as there had been a drake next door for a couple of weeks it is no longer there).
Thinking it was too late to put fertile eggs under her we in the end thought, get these 2 ducklings. When we put them under her she went crazy and started attacking them. We brought them inside and in the morning one of them was dead.

My question is do we continue to raise the duckling ALONE inside and later introduce it to our chickens ( 7) plus the neighbours that seem to have moved over the fence or should we get another duckling so that when the time comes to put it outside it blends in better.

The Muscovey duck we tried to put the 2 ducklings under is the only duck on the property.

I do have to confess I did not really want ducks as I have seen the forums on drakes and it scares the hell out of me that we may end up with a drake, I only brought the ducklings as I felt for the lonely broody one down in the stump.

Putting ducklings under broodies is basically a game of Russian Roulette. Sometimes it works great sometimes it doesn't. Once the duckling is older the two should mix fine after awhile of establishing a pecking order. However, I personally wouldn't introduce them before 12 weeks.

 

[shaza7]

Thanks for replying Kevin,
I was hoping there would be a comment on here when I woke, 12 weeks sounds a long time but as I know ziltch about ducks I will definitely take that advice.
I read some more forums last night on muscoveys and found some real positive ones and this morning I am going to go and get another duckling to keep her company over the next 12 weeks.
Cheers!!

 

[Kevin565]

Thanks for replying Kevin,
I was hoping there would be a comment on here when I woke, 12 weeks sounds a long time but as I know ziltch about ducks I will definitely take that advice.
I read some more forums last night on muscoveys and found some real positive ones and this morning I am going to go and get another duckling to keep her company over the next 12 weeks.
Cheers!!

It's no problem at all. Some people introduce as early as 8 weeks but I personally feel this is riskier than waiting the extra four weeks. Hope your current duckling loves her new playmate!

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

I have four ducks and one chicken, so I think that would be fine

 

[shaza7]

I was all set to go and get her a mate and then backed out at the last minute (Drake fear

). Im just watching to see how she goes, (notice I call her a she- heres hoping, and have named her grace) I still would like to get her a mate but with all the neighbours over on my property I have well and truley exceeded the limit in a city area!!!

Im going to keep her inside untill she is 8 weeks and then during the day, weather permitting put her in a pen on her own so she can aquaint herself with all of them and bring her in at night. We are just heading out of summer here so thinking 12 weeks might be the ideal for her.