Motherless ducklings.

[Karen AA]

I hatched out 5 ducklings using incubator. We have 6 adults, some of whom are the babies parents. How long before I can safely introduce them into mixed flock of adult ducks, 4 chickens, and 2 guineas? They are almost a month old and in a separate pen inside the coop where everyone sleeps.

 

[Everose]

I think it would be best to introduce them while they're young but big enough to defend themselves, supervised visits are the best way to integrate according to most bycers. How big are they now?

 

[Karen AA]

I hatched out 5 ducklings using incubator. We have 6 adults, some of whom are the babies parents. How long before I can safely introduce them into mixed flock of adult ducks, 4 chickens, and 2 guineas? They are almost a month old and in a separate pen inside the coop where everyone sleeps.

They will be 5 weeks old this week. They are a good size. They are Rouens so fairly big.

I hatched out 5 ducklings using incubator. We have 6 adults, some of whom are the babies parents. How long before I can safely introduce them into mixed flock of adult ducks, 4 chickens, and 2 guineas? They are almost a month old and in a separate pen inside the coop where everyone sleeps.

 

[Everose]

Well I would say that at this age they should get to visit and once they have adult plumage they could live with the other adults permanently, maybe someone with more experience might comment. I've introduced a single adult hen to my teenager flock and she did just fine, they had to figure out a pecking order but other than that they got along great. When you integrate permanently I would do it at night, my ducks all woke up the next morning with a new friend but since she didn't take advantage of their vulnerability at night they must've assumed the she wasn't a meanie.

 

[Mandrogora]

If you have adult drakes then I'd wait until the youngest are sexually mature before allowing them to live together.