New ducks need advice...

[Lacrystol]

I lost my female duck just recently now my two boys have been depressed and still calling for her, it's sooooo sad. I found someone who has two mallard female ducks that he wants to sell. I was going to pick them up this evening is there anything special I need to know. I know with chickens when you get new ones your suppose to keep them separate for at least a month. Does this rule of thumb apply to ducks as well or is there a new rule of thumb for them.

 

[nanaluvsgps]

Maybe just give th two mallards some time to settle in before the boys start harrassing them. Don't keep them completely seperated, but so they can interact with each other through a fence.

 

[Amiga]

When drakes and ducks mix, it can get interesting, to do keep a fence between them. With some supervised time together, you can decide if it is working.

Ideally, and for the ducks' (girls) well being, there need to be more ducks. Drake to duck generally is recommended to be no less than 1 to 3, and 1 to 6 is better.

Drakes get really . . . well . . . they can hurt the ducks. Some drakes are nicer than others, but some are just really tough on the females.

 

[Lacrystol]

I brought the new girls home, it was a long ride to. I put them into the coop and my boys were no where's to be found, the girls squeaked and sure enough out of no wheres here comes the boys. It was sooooo cool, it was like a reunion, the girls right away followed the boys, I think we not only made the boys happy campers but they each got a woman and didn't hide.. They were showing the girls where to go and the girls just followed. I knew they wouldn't be aggressive because I hatched out the boys myself and I handled them quite a bit so even though they still were skittish they were also gentle... It was so great to see the girls following them and doing that low chatting kind of talking, it seriously looked like a reunion...

 

[Lacrystol]

OH MAN I SCREWED UP. I went and got the two girl yesterday and they are enjoying there new place however, while I'm outside putting seven dust on my silkies, I noticed one of the supposedly boy ducks inside the dog house, he's got a really nice nest too. Once he came out WHAT A SURPRISE, he just laid an egg. MY BOY DUCK ISN'T A BOY, lol now I'm looking at both of them they look exactly the same, she has the greenish color on her head and everything. But neither one of them has the curl at the end of there tails, so I don't think I have boys at all, I think now I have four girl ducks now...., I guess I'm off shopping for a boy now loll my husband is going to love me...

 

[Amiga]

Congratulations on your "mistake!" Truly, I feel it is much better to have more ducks than drakes. And there are folks on the forum who are looking to rehome some boys, so you are in a nice situation, looks to me.

 

[Tahai]

LOLS! a happy mistake