Looking to place older ducks with younger ducks

[DaKid]

Ok seems like the older ducks really don't like the younger ducks place in there pen, my duck aviray is 36ft by 18 ft x 16 ft .....which is about 650 sq.ft . of foot space , I HAVE 7 Mallards and 1 buff and just added 3 white calls but it seems that the mallards and buffs don't like there new comers , it seems like ducks have a pecking order just like the chickens do .
will it just take some time for them to all get along , I will be down sizing on the mallards once I know who is who as far as male and female are I'm only looking on keeping a trio or 2 pairs of them , but I would like to add a few other kinds or types of different ducks in this pen .
A pen /aviray this size should be able to keep 6 pairs or trios of differents types of ducks , I have a mini pond which is about 10 ft long x 6 -8 ft wide and a depth about 12" to 18" , so the pen and pond is large enougth for this amount of birds which all would be bantam size / call ducks other then the buff duck.


what ur thougths about placing new ducks with other ducks in the same pen/run/ aviray all 2gether


thanks alan

 

[AdamD77]

Hmm, I haven't done it yet because my adults and babies are still seperated, but from what I've read they do have a pecking order and it should take a little while for them to all get to know their places. Keep an eye on them and as long as there's no serious attacking then I think you should just let them get on with it and get used to the new arrangements

 

[katharinad]

They will need some time. I had to keep mine separated until yesterday. I had the duck house divided for weeks now and they slept in it in 2 stalls. I introduced them to each other one month ago, first supervised, and a week later I let them out together. Last night was the first night they all slept together in the same space. They young ones are 8 weeks and the 2 older are now 12 weeks of age. You may even have to wait longer with older ducks. Your new ducks may have to be 16 weeks old, before you can put them together with older ones. Just so they are old enough to stand for themselves. In my case they were only one month apart, and I still had to be careful. It really is just a question of time and keep on trying.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Introductions must be done very carefully. You can just toss 'em in together. Ducks are very social and become cliques (flocks) so they naturally don't like new comers. Also be very aware of gender! A drake will defend his hens against ANY AND ALL newcomers...forever!

Put the new ones in a cage next to the originals, fr a couple days. Then, at night time, try to put one in with them. This make take some patience, but well worth the effort and easier on the ducks as well.

I ended up with a couple pens with the different "flocks" occupying one each. Keeps the peace......and the quiet.