New Duck to the Group

[Mellykins68]

I had a coon get into my duck pen and kill one of my ducks, my favorite a Cayuga. I would like to replace it with another and wonder if there are issues doing this. I never had ducks before and I know that sometimes it’s hard to introduce a new chicken to the group, wondering if ducks are the same. I have 3 ducks, runner, white hybrid and a Welsh Harlequin. I found some ducks that would be a little younger than them, they are now about 2 and half months old. Any suggestions are advice?

 

[chickluvinfreak]

I had a coon get into my duck pen and kill one of my ducks, my favorite a Cayuga. I would like to replace it with another and wonder if there are issues doing this. I never had ducks before and I know that sometimes it’s hard to introduce a new chicken to the group, wondering if ducks are the same. I have 3 ducks, runner, white hybrid and a Welsh Harlequin . I found some ducks that would be a little younger than them, they are now about 2 and half months old. Any suggestions are advice?

I'm sorry you lost your duck, that's awful . I don't own ducks but from what I've heard and read you would have to introduce them carefully, the same way as chickens. The way I like to integrate my chicks with older hens is to keep the chicks/ducklings in a wire crate. Then you can put the crate in the duck yard where all the other ducks can see them without being able to touch them. You'll want to leave them like that for about a week to make sure everyone is comfortable with each other. Than you can let them out supervised for a little bit. If that goes well you can let them out a little longer each day. Eventually you should be able to let the ducklings out permanently unsupervised. Hope this helps and good luck

 

[Welshies]

Sorry for your loss.
Yes, you can introduce ducks easily, no, it's not hard.
What I do, and has always worked, is buy or pick up the newbies in the morning, keep them isolated for the day by the other ducks, and an hour before I coop my ducks for the night, I let the newbies out. They will squabble, fight a little, but once they calm down I coop them.
Then over the next week I watch VERY carefully for any signs of exclusion, open wounds, or stress to any birds in the flock. Good luck