New bully in the duck pen!

[rainplace]

I came back from Oregon with 2 adult black silky ducks and another baby goose (dunno how he can be called a baby he's HUGE!) I seem to have a bit of a problem though. The female silky is a bully and between her and her mate she can keep all the other ducks in a corner of the pen. She patrols the pools, (won't let them swim) the food, (won't let them eat) and even the shade. She's just a little bully! To top it off she's a wiley one. Almost uncatchable. Trying to get her to go in at night ends up being a game of who's smarter (she wins a lot). She always knows my next move. And if that's not bad enough, she can get enough lift to get over me.

So... I spent a few days putting her and her mate in a smaller pen inside the bigger pen. Then I let them out. She just got smarter at evading me and terrorizing the other ducks with quick little runs at them.

Now I have her mate with the other ducks and her in her own pen. At night I keep her in a medium dog carrier and let her mate hang with the others. During the day when I put her in her own pen all she does is pace. She won't swim in her pool, and she doesn't eat though she does drink. Her mate has found himself on the bottom of the pecking order (my little 3 week old female gosling protects the flock and keeps him in check... she's a sight to behold!) But he's starting to fit in. He gets in tight to sleep with them and swims with them, sorta the outsider but slowly getting excepted. Except she goes nuts in her little pen when she sees him hanging out with them and quacks her little head off till he comes to her side of the fence, then they pace together till he goes back to the other ducks.

I started out not liking her much, but the more I watch her the more my respect for her has deepened. I don't want her to be unhappy, I don't want her to be alone. It makes me sad at night when I put her carrier in with the other ducks and she's all small in the back of it being so quiet and still.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can integrate her into the flock? Should I put her mate back with her? Should I put another one of the ducks with her? What can I do? I'm out of ideas.

 

[rainplace]

Sissy, the bully, has finally been integrated with the rest of my small flock. She's still a bully, and now that she's back, Omar, her mate, has his sass back, but now it's just the regular "get out of my way" pecking. Ranaya, (female gosling) having been all pumped up from initially putting Omar in his place, tried to do the same with Sissy, but Sissy promptly and with great force put her in her place. (it appears that keeping her separated was the right thing!)

I was a bit concerned that when I herded them off to bed last night, that Sissy might run off, but she and Omar were actually the first to make it into their temporary bedroom. I made a point of going in a few times and one time she had all the ducklings and goslings forced into a little corner. I talked to the corner group and they all came out looking relieved. She tried while I was there to round them all up again, but I hissed and snapped my fingers at her. The rest of the night, everyone was spread out or in pairs.

It's been interesting watching the hierarchy reform itself with the removal and additions of the various waterfowl as I try to get the flock how I want it. From what I've read, ducks and geese like tranquility the most, so I guess that means in most instances they will sort it out quickly enough to get back what they like (eating and pooping in peace

) Has that held true with you all.. in most cases?

I still always feel like an anxious mother... everyday. Does this ever go away?

 

[Wifezilla]

Glad things worked out. My drake has suddenly decided he doesn't like one of the girls, so he may be soup if he doesn't chill out.

 

[streemers]

hey happy to hear it worked out