New duckling, male not very happy about it... Can peace be achieved? Help!

[Pipkitten]

Because I haven't been able to find anything on Google, I've decided to join this site and see if anyone here can help me.

I have three ducks: a male Buff Orpington (about 7 years old) named Pong, a female Saxony (at least 3 years old?) named Ping, and their 2 month old duckling named Paddle. (If it helps, they've never had any ducklings before.) I've had my male separated from my female and the duckling since the little guy hatched because Pong kept attempting to kill Paddle. Both the yard and coop have been divided into 2 parts, one for Pong and one for Ping and Paddle. Within the last couple of weeks, I moved Ping in with Pong, leaving Paddle in his own half of the yard and house in an attempt to make Pong less aggressive.

I've tried to introduce Pong to Paddle by putting them in the same half of the yard many times in the hopes that they would get used to being in the same area, and that Pong would figure out that Paddle is no threat to his dominance. Sadly, it hasn't worked. Every time Paddle is not separated from Pong by a fence, Pong will chase him around nonstop and bite him/pull feathers out. Paddle would like to fit in, but his dad won't allow it. I'm at a loss for what to do... I cannot re-home any of them, so that isn't an option.

It's hard to maintain 2 of everything (pools, waterers, food, etc.) and I would really like peace to return to my duck yard... Is there anything I can do?

 

[Amiga]

Welcome to the Duck Forum!

And I am in a similar situation. We adopted a trio of buffs, a drake and two ducks, in hopes they would bond with my buff who'd lost her bff. We also have nine runners.

At first, it was not a really smooth introducktion, but it appeared things would work out. The drake was not really interested in hopping on anyone at first, it was late autumn.

Come spring, he got interested, and all went well for a few weeks, then there was increasing friction. And now, two of everything. Two flocks, two sets of dishes, two sets of pens, etc.

It is not the worst thing in the world. And I would rather we be one happy flock, or at least two subflocks who tolerate each other.

This is the first intractable issue I have had in the three and a half years I have had ducks. I try various things, get hopeful, then the ducks decide it's not going to work.

My approach is to keep trying, and at the same time, keep everyone safe.

 

[Pipkitten]

I'll keep trying, then. I'm always present with a broom when I put them together since I don't trust Pong to not seriously injure Paddle.
I just think it's weird that he's so mean... Pong has had 3 different females in his life and never had a problem with any of them. Perhaps it's just because Paddle is male that he's having such an issue with him?

 

[Amiga]

Hard to tell with drakes. I only have one, he's our first, and I am making some guesses about what's going on with the duck dynamic, and am stumped as to how to get them to integrate. For goodness' sake, one drake and twelve ducks? Why isn't he happy?? Actually, it's because nine of those twelve believe that "a duck needs a drake like a fish needs a bicycle."

And I think his sensibilities are offended.

So he's curdling the cream of the blessing and rather than being happy to have one more duck (Romy, a buff), he goes off on a tear, harassing her, perhaps to prove how tough he is to the ducks that really don't care.

 

[furbabymum]

I will admit to keeping all female flocks for a reason. Drakes, roosters, etc. cause more problems then they are worth in my opinion. After watching my 2 drakes harass the hens endlessly I decided it was time to figure out how to cook duck. I've integrated so many flocks successfully simply by removing the males from the equation. Probably not what you want to hear.

 

[Pipkitten]

@Amiga
Drakes are such idiots sometimes... Them and their "I've gotta show off how tough and manly I am" attitudes.

@furbabymum
If I weren't so attached to Paddle, I would remove him from the equation by trading him for one of my friend's females... But he hatched on my graduation day and I've loved him from the start. And there's nothing I can really do to remove Pong, since he's been my pet since he was little and even though he's got such a rotten attitude towards Paddle, I'd be heartbroken if he were gone.