New ducks intro to flock. Help?

[duckins]

We have had 3 pekin drakes for 9 mon got them at 1 day old tsc we never had ducks before, in oct we got 2 buffs & 2 black Swedish hens they are now 3 mon. Everyone shares a 10x20 lot separated in half by chick wire for girls safety guys can be mean at times doubt i will be able to let them live without some barrier ever they can be mean to me and 2 of my kids chasing biting but they can be very sweet and we are extremely attached them, anyway the girls no their place with the boys and respect it for the most part lol we got 4 crested hens in nov. now 7 wks. They go out all day but come in house at dark weather been 20's at night. Every morn they go out and we let the others out to forage for 2-3 hrs then everyone goes to lot crested babies in with 4 3 mon old hens till 3 pm then their all let out till dark here's the problem I suspect the 4 girls are bullying the crest babies during the day maybe not letting eat or enter heated house I am ready to let crested stay out all night and their getting cramped in playpen overnite they seem scared to death of girls and I'm afraid they want let them eat or go into warm house overnite.My plans were to purchase another 10x10 for drakes and all 8 girls could live in 10x20 soon. Lot may be cramped but its best i can do for few weeks.Any suggestions? What I'm doing right or wrong and would the crested babies starve themselves out of fear. Btw girls bully but aren't vicious and when everyone's out they stay in their own little group never intermingling.

 

[Amiga]

Well, you are right to be concerned about the babies. They may need some extra help from you. Ducks can become intimidated and fearful and they can be so nervous they cannot eat. So do not assume everything will work out okay. Protect the vulnerable members of the flock.

Good that you have the drakes separate from the females.

It is alot of work, getting the flock dynamics to sort itself out. It's not like your situation, but just as an example of how introducktions go (and my case was much easier than yours) here is a topic I posted last year. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/712646/welcome-to-the-flock-carmella-bean-and-hazel-d

I am not sure I followed all of the details you offered. But I can say, keep the babies warm, give them time somewhere where they can eat all they want without interference from the older ducks. Ducks can be funny and lovely, but as you know they can be mean to each other until things get sorted out. I intervene when things are a little too mean-spirited.

 

[duckins]

Thank you for your reply your buffs look like my 2 buffs. It's funny when I first intro babies to the girls they were 1 wk old it was through fence and Buttercup 1 of the buffs took on a mama role a bit even though girls & crest babes are 4 wks a part! Buffs generally just hiss but 2 black swed can be very rude to babes. Another funny thing is all 4 girls are acting different lately they act like my kids during the terrible twos they seem cranky and are way to busy for me to bother or lord forbid pick them up I've read on here that could be tween stage.Going to get pen this weekend hopefully. Mean time do you think it would be okay to section the 10x10 in half girls on one side babies on other or would that be cramped. Not trying to rush babies out but I feel they are cramped overnite their playpen mess is well managed but their favorite thing to do past few morning is to backfire on each other u can only imagine they go from beautiful white crest to green & black crest.

 

[Amiga]

How warm is it in the pen you want to move them to?

 

[duckins]

Little warmer than outside not much though I put tarps down before they go up at dusk covers sides and back leave front open top is always covered it really helps with wind and rain they have house that's heated temp in there is 50-55 on a 20 degree night morning I switch bulb to a 120 night 250 depending on temp the coldest here in southside va is 15 degrees but thats not often. average 30-40 at night

 

[Amiga]

I would want to keep the seven week olds at 60 degrees F or so, and if the split 10x10 pen with the older girls is that warm, and it's just at night, I don't think it would be too crowded, as long as they could be outside some.

 

[duckins]

Thanks for your reply. They get out 4-5 hrs daily. Yesterday day instead of the warmed kiddie pool they found big mud hole much more appealing! Thanks again its first year with ducks and I am extremely protective over everyone we love them so much.