My ducks are being jerks to my chickens

[jwood]

Hi Everyone,

Any tips to keep my ducks from being jerks to my chickens? My chicks are 6 weeks old and they are too big for their brooder so they need to start living with the ducks but my ducks are being mean to them

I imagine its just because the ducks are scared of them because they are scared of EVERYTHING (I gave them watermelon the other day and they were terrified of it) if the chicks come near them the charge the chicks and come down on them with their chest. The chicks don't really seem to care and aren't afraid of the ducks but I don't want them injuring them.

What I have been doing so far is the ducks are outside during the day and the chicks are out of the brooder and loose in the coop during the day. But they want to be outside too! They love being outside!

Do they just need to work it out or should I wait to leave them alone together until the chicks are bigger? My chicks are pretty quick so I'm guessing they could get away from the ducks if needed but I don't want to come home to an injured chicken if I leave them unattended.

I got the ducks first because I thought it would be an easier transition than getting chickens first and introducing ducks. These ducks were supposed to be mild mannered! I love my ducks but they are just for fun and I would rather have my chickens so if they can't work it out the ducks have to go

 

[WindyHillFarm]

Maybe put a little extra fencing between them while outside and cordon off an area inside the coop for the chicks until the ducks are used to seeing them. An old screen door would work, or maybe some panels from a wire dog crate. Are the ducks male? They might be asserting dominance or even checking to see if they can mate with the chicks...

 

[donrae]

How old are the ducks? Ducks overall are more aggressive than chickens, drakes especially. You may need to separate them until the chicks are old enough to really fend for themselves, around 4 months or so.

 

[jwood]

The ducks are female and are 5 months old. They are Pekin ducks. I read on here that ducks weren't usually obnoxious to others when introducing new flock members so that's why I went the duck route 1st