My chicks and ducklings have bonded!

[helenbk1966]

We are in year two of our lives as crazy chicken people and we decided our family and friends do not think we are weird enough. We needed ducks too!

Chicken math further complicated by duck arithmetic took us from 6 birds to 10 through a series of conversations, compromises, rationalizations and one mysterious chick who just appeared in the box.

So there we were 3 weeks ago with 5 ducklings and 5 chicks and limited space so we chucked them all in a single brooder with 2 heat lamps and crossed our fingers.

Well, the chicks get lot wetter than they prefer and ducks occasionally get their big gallumphing galoshes they call feet pecked at, but everyone seems pretty darned attached to each other. The ducks are happy enough to leave their non swimmer siblings for a daily foray to the baby pool for a swim but they are equally overjoyed to be reunited.

Complicating matters is one little peeper who we suspect is a roo who peeps incessantly and insistently like a mama calling for her lost children every minute that those ten birds are not all in one place.

Everyone is growing- no one looks to be getting less than a fair share of food or water. Other than the swimming excursions none of the girls seems to be aware that they are notall the same kind of bird. Has anyone else had an experience like is?

All are now 3 1/2 weeks old and will be moving to the outside coop in the next day or so. We are thinking we will keep them all together until the chicks are big enough to mingle safely with our 4 adult hens in their coop, but plan to have a connecting door so everyone can move back and forh at will in the future.

On another interesting note, we have given our top hen and our bottom hen in our flock of 4 adults the chance o interact wit the 10 babies. Zero hostility! Some curiousity, a little anxiety and even flusteration from sweet Clementine the dorky Dorking. My EE Cordelia, the undisputed but ever calm matriarch was unflappable even when one chick hopped on her back for a ride. She was anxious to vacate their enclosure after that, but didn't even try to give the ballsy little puffer a peck on the head!

So, any mixed race flocks out there? LOL Don't they know it's unnatural?

And what's up with my "who cares if you bring new chickens into our territory "
Hens? Should I still be wary of a bloodbath?

Feedback appreciated!

Helen

 

[Amiga]

Helen, hi!

I only have ducks - so I hope someone with a mixed flock checks in soon. Perhaps @Miss Lydia will be around.

There is a concern about drakes and chickens - if they try to mate, the chicken could be mortally wounded, worst case.

But I love your writing, and your story! Please keep the updates coming!

 

[pattyhen]

Several years ago I had 2 baby ducks and several chicks togeather in the brooder when I bought them home from the feed store. They all got along and did well with each other until the male duck reached maturity. He tried to mate with the chickens. I had to put him and the other duck in a pen by theirselves because he wouldn't leave the chickens alone.

I have since raised baby ducks without chicks and I have no problem with them being in the same yard with chickens. They do not bother them. They all get along and I've never had a male duck since try to mate with the chickens.

This was my experience, I think the male duck bonded with the chickens to much when he was growing up and thought he was a chicken even tho I had another female duck to that grew up with them. Good luck I hope this doesn't happen with your ducks and chickens but I just wanted to let you know what happened to ours.

Patty

 

[helenbk1966]

So far we only have one potential male in the group, and that is a chicken. I imagine he could try to put the moves on the duck ladies till the cows come home and meet with little success as even the smallest one could stomp him in a fight. Having watched previously inconceivable images of ducks mating on Utube I understand why drakes and girl chickens are a potentially fatal attraction!

 

[pattyhen]

You should not have a problem then if all your ducks are female. Your rooster cannot hurt the female ducks the way a male duck can hurt the female chickens. A male duck has a penis that can injure the hens and a rooster doesn't have one.


Patty