older duck bitting new baby ducks

[kelliestill18]

I have a one year old duck whom is a female, and we wanted to get a few more ducks for her to have friends well I got 2 more at the feed store and Brought them home and the older duck is mean to them. she will bit them and she will pick them up and sling them with her mouth. I have taken the baby ducks out of the duck house and brought them in the house. I try and let her around them to get use them and she still dose this . what can I do to make her stop being so mean to them?

thanks Kellie still

 

[Miss Lydia]

Adult ducks can kill ducklings. Has this 1 yr old always been an only duck? It will take time for her to accept the two new ones so just brood them inside for now. They can go out and visit her with your supervision but if you can make a pen or something safe and simple you can put the duckling in while they are outside that way your adult and the two littles can meet and greet but the adult can hurt them. They will need to be around her size before they can safely live together plus if they are tiny they need warmth right now.so take the littles out to meet your adult and eventually they will become one flock . Take it slowly

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

Welcome to BYC..
This is a normal response to ducklings not hatched by the duck herself or within the flock. And even then, other hens in the flock will pick on the littles. Its a pecking order thing.
It might be best to brood the ducklings seperate with a heat lamp ( depending on age and current temps where you are) and food and water deep enough for them to rinse their nares (nasal passages).
Once they feather out you should be able to reintroduce them slowly.

 

[kelliestill18]

Adult ducks can kill ducklings. Has this 1 yr old always been an only duck? It will take time for her to accept the two new ones so just brood them inside for now. They can go out and visit her with your supervision but if you can make a pen or something safe and simple you can put the duckling in while they are outside that way your adult and the two littles can meet and greet but the adult can hurt them. They will need to be around her size before they can safely live together plus if they are tiny they need warmth right now.so take the littles out to meet your adult and eventually they will become one flock . Take it slowly

we had two but the other one died not sure why but for the last 7 months months she has been the only duck... yes they are little ducking... should I take them out daily .. we have a chicken house and turned it into a duck house so its very big a roomy ... she will run after the baby ducks when we let them around each other ... I don't want her to hurt the babys

 

[kelliestill18]

Welcome to BYC..
This is a normal response to ducklings not hatched by the duck herself or within the flock. And even then, other hens in the flock will pick on the littles. Its a pecking order thing.
It might be best to brood the ducklings seperate with a heat lamp ( depending on age and current temps where you are) and food and water deep enough for them to rinse their nares (nasal passages).
Once they feather out you should be able to reintroduce them slowly.

she has been laying eggs for the last few days ( they don't have babys in the eggs ) will that make her mean ?

 

[kelliestill18]

she has been laying eggs for the last few days ( they don't have babys in the eggs ) will that make her mean ?

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

she has been laying eggs for the last few days ( they don't have babys in the eggs ) will that make her mean ?

It may make her a ittle more testy. She's not really being mean. She just sees them as intruders right now because they dont look or sound like her.
And she'll want to be at the top of the pecking order too.lol

 

[kelliestill18]

It may make her a ittle more testy. She's not really being mean. She just sees them as intruders right now because they dont look or sound like her.
And she'll want to be at the top of the pecking order too.lol

ok... lol ... she is a very spoiled duck... we will just let her have play time with them for while for now until they get there other feathers in

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

ok... lol ... she is a very spoiled duck... we will just let her have play time with them for while for now until they get there other feathers in