New duck not getting accepted by our current flock :( Any help appreciated.

[MobyDuck]

hey all

we bought a pekin duckling a couple months ago and unfortunately the friend we had in the pen with her died so she grew up alone in our duckling pen, but happy nonetheless.

the problem is that our other ducks - 3 indian runners and 1 khaki campbell (3 males and 1 female) are really mean to her. she gets patches of missing feathers where the others have pinned her down and tried to, for lack of a better term, rape her. it's especially unfortunate as Pekins have shorter legs and so she can never run away as fast from the Runners and Khaki Campbell.

its been this way for over a month now and we've set it up so she can escape to her own area if she's getting bullied but also still go out into the main yard to attempt to mingle with the others.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get her accepted by the others...?

Thanks in advance,
Hamish, Bugs and Rebekah

 

[Miss Lydia]

hey all

we bought a pekin duckling a couple months ago and unfortunately the friend we had in the pen with her died so she grew up alone in our duckling pen, but happy nonetheless.

the problem is that our other ducks - 3 indian runners and 1 khaki campbell (3 males and 1 female) are really mean to her. she gets patches of missing feathers where the others have pinned her down and tried to, for lack of a better term, rape her. it's especially unfortunate as Pekins have shorter legs and so she can never run away as fast from the Runners and Khaki Campbell.

its been this way for over a month now and we've set it up so she can escape to her own area if she's getting bullied but also still go out into the main yard to attempt to mingle with the others.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get her accepted by the others...?

Thanks in advance,
Hamish, Bugs and Rebekah

Sounds like gang raping, happens alot when boys out number girls in the duck flock. and because she doesn't fit in with them,being an only duck can create problems of there own, she is the one who gets nailed for 1 thing your ratio is off you Need more females at least 2-4 per drake the more the better. your setup sounds good giving her a way to get away if she gets over whelmed, but until you add more females this will continue, when you decide to get more make sure everyone gets released out into the yard together that way they can work out dominance in a large area and not get pushed into a corner so to speak. There will be some pushing and shoving and grabbing but they will work it out and the only time you would need to intervene is if one is getting it worse than the others. Most of the time it will settle down after a couple weeks if not sooner and they will be one big nice flock family. Then you'll just have to deal with the drakes from time to time getting into it. I have 2 drakes and 8 ducks 1 big happy family as long as youngest drake doesn't touch oldest girls.

AND

ps, also make sure you have enough feeders and water out so no one can be kept away from food and water.. if it's not reality for you to get more females then I'd say 2 of your drakes would need to go that way you would have a ratio of 1 drake to 2 females. but they still might pick on you pekin. the other idea is better.

 

[jak2002003]

You should have only one male with your flock!

The drakes will harass the ducks very badly - especially in the breeding season, and they can actually kill the ducks by drowning them as they all pile on top of her. The ducks will be very stressed. The drakes will also be very aggressive to any ducklings and may also kill them!

Ducks best kept in separate pairs or a group of females with one drake.

I would separate all the drakes together, then put the new duck with the existing one and they should settle down after a few days. Then introduce ONE drake to them.

Good luck.

 

[Mike Winters]

they are excepting her into the flock she just happens to be new so she gets all the love. agree get rid of some males 1 drake and 4-5 ducks is a good ratio because as you found out drakes are serial rapists during the mating season