Just added 2 ducks to my current 2 ducks - advice?

[mettafour]

Hello! I just added 2 more girls to my other 2 ducks, a boy and a girl. Putting them in the pen together, the first thing that happened was the man jumped on each of them and tried to mate and then the two girls that came together began attacking each other and on occasion attacking the original female. I finally put the two new females within a small pen in the pen and immediately they stopped attacking each other and settled down. Today I put the original pair out like I do daily and left the new ones in the pen in the barn with free range of the entire pen. When I brought the original pair back in I left the other two with them. The male immediately mated with the new pair and things were quiet for a moment and the attacks began again between females, except the original female, who has never attacked anyone, she is the sweetest thing. I again put the new pair in the pen within the pen. Everything calmed right down again. Any suggestions on how to make this transition a little smoother? Thank you all!

 

[EmAbTo48]

Very normal behavior, let them be they are just figuring out who's boss shouldn't be a problem (unless you see blood). Let them forage together it allows them to become a flock they will best buds before you know it!

 

[mettafour]

Thank!. I may send them all out together tomorrow. I left the others in the pen, not because of the altercations, but because I just wanted them to get used to their home before they went out because I had read horror stories about how ducks ran off because they were let out too soon after they arrived at a new place.

I went out to the barn to check on them tonight and the original pair was sleeping right along the side of the pen inside their pen and the new ducks were sleeping right along the side where the original pair was. It really encouraged me.

 

[Mum]

That is great news, glad they appear to be settling down as a family