lone, lonely duck

[debywickham]

I have 1 Blue Swedish female. She is the last of a group of 5 ducklings I raised for eggs, in 2013. There others were lost to predators, and illness. I have a new batch waiting to out grow their brooder and join her. In the mean time, I am working on more secure system for the duck-yard. I have 2 problems. First, I have let the ducklings (3 weeks) old, wander a bit in the duck yard, but Olga, my adult duck, attacks them.She runs them over if I do not keep them a bit separated. She has not warmed up to them over the last few days of their visits, from the brooder to the yard. Second, Olga seems lonely. She wants me to join her in the duck yard, All The Time. She quacks and quacks and is only quiet when I am in the yard near her. She even tried to get me to join her under a bush yesterday, by bowing and looking to see if I was following her. She is very happy if I am gardening in or near the duck yard. She was hand raised, and I guess she thinks I am a duck, not these other creatures. My question is, how can I get her to stop quacking, and accept the new ducks?
Deby in Duckland

 

[needlessjunk]

Your ducklings are way too small to be in with her and she is lonely. For her try an unbreakable mirror in her pen. Fence off a section of her pen so she can see but not touch the new ducklings. When they are the same size then try slow introductions.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I have 1 Blue Swedish female. She is the last of a group of 5 ducklings I raised for eggs, in 2013. There others were lost to predators, and illness. I have a new batch waiting to out grow their brooder and join her. In the mean time, I am working on more secure system for the duck-yard. I have 2 problems. First, I have let the ducklings (3 weeks) old, wander a bit in the duck yard, but Olga, my adult duck, attacks them.She runs them over if I do not keep them a bit separated. She has not warmed up to them over the last few days of their visits, from the brooder to the yard. Second, Olga seems lonely. She wants me to join her in the duck yard, All The Time. She quacks and quacks and is only quiet when I am in the yard near her. She even tried to get me to join her under a bush yesterday, by bowing and looking to see if I was following her. She is very happy if I am gardening in or near the duck yard. She was hand raised, and I guess she thinks I am a duck, not these other creatures. My question is, how can I get her to stop quacking, and accept the new ducks?
Deby in Duckland

I agree with what @needlessjunk junk said, and I think you're going to be fine if you keep up with gradual introductions as the ducklings are growing. You don't want to hold off on that until they're bigger because their size is no guarantee she won't still consider them a threat. Ducks can be just as territorial as drakes, and she's already two years into "This is MY yard" thinking.

What I've had the most success with is taking my ducklings out into the yard while my adults are still penned. I leave it that way for 20-30 minutes, and it's in a place where the adults can see the ducklings. Then I let the adults out and carefully monitor the situation, which still requires a lot of intervention at first. I have, however, seen a marked difference in doing it in that sequence. If I let the adults out first and then bring out the ducklings, fights break out and feathers start flying faster than the hubby and I put together can break them up. There seems to be some value in the who was there first arrangement.

 

[debywickham]

thank you for the input. I will try letting the ducklings into the yard before Olga and see how that goes. I will also get Olga a mirror... Hopefully when she has made friends with the new ducklings, and they are a bit bigger, she will not need me to be in the yard with her all the time. I did set up a separated yard system today. So the ducklings can get outside a bit. Covered and fenced for all.

 

[debywickham]

thank you for the input. I will try letting the ducklings into the yard before Olga and see how that goes. I will also get Olga a mirror... Hopefully when she has made friends with the new ducklings, and they are a bit bigger, she will not need me to be in the yard with her all the time. I did set up a separated yard system today. So the ducklings can get outside a bit. Covered and fenced for all.

The mirrors seem to be working a bit. Also the order in which I put everyone in the duck-yard. She is still charging a bit, but not as much. I think it will just take time. Olga now thinks I am a drake. She wants me to pet her while she lays her neck and back flat.. so I can climb on top of her. So I have been petting her in that position, which she seems to like... She was hand raised but never really climbed in my lap, or came to me for petting sessions unless treats were involved. The mirrors are getting investigated and quacked at... So it all seems to be helping a bit. Thank You

 

[JadeComputerGal]

The mirrors seem to be working a bit. Also the order in which I put everyone in the duck-yard. She is still charging a bit, but not as much. I think it will just take time. Olga now thinks I am a drake. She wants me to pet her while she lays her neck and back flat.. so I can climb on top of her. So I have been petting her in that position, which she seems to like... She was hand raised but never really climbed in my lap, or came to me for petting sessions unless treats were involved. The mirrors are getting investigated and quacked at... So it all seems to be helping a bit. Thank You

I'm really glad to hear that things are at least a little bit better. As far as the lying down flat thing, it's not necessarily just a sexual position. That can be a sign of submission and trust, similar to how dogs and cats won't roll on their backs and and expose their stomachs unless they trust the person or people around them. I've had a few ducks that would do that for me even though mine have never been alone (without potential mates).

Sounds like you're headed in the right direction

 

[needlessjunk]

The mirrors seem to be working a bit. Also the order in which I put everyone in the duck-yard. She is still charging a bit, but not as much.  I think it will just take time. Olga now thinks I am a drake. She wants me to pet her while she lays her neck and back flat.. so I can climb on top of her. So I have been petting her in that position, which she seems to like...  She was hand raised but never really climbed in my lap, or came to me for petting sessions unless treats were involved.  The mirrors are getting investigated and quacked at... So it all seems to be helping a bit. Thank You

I'm glad things are working out better. My girls also "submit" to each other so I'm also with Jade that is may not be a sexual thing.