Our newest ducks- now desperately need advise- UPDATE

[cherub78]

These are our two newest ducks we adopted yesterday. They are Pekin-Indian Runner mix that were born May 08. On the left is Dali and on the right is Kahlo.

And, since I never posted pics of our other ones, this pic has all five (including the new ones). The white Pekin is Marshmallow, the Black Swedish is Oreo, and the little Rouen is Brownie, all three were born Apr 08.

 

[Henrietta23]

Cute!

 

[cherub78]

The Black Swedish (which we think is a male by the quack - or lack of- but no drake feather yet), is not getting along w/ the two new ducks. He is quite aggressive, bites at their feathers, lunges at them in the pond, etc.

The two new ducks- I am not sure of what sex they are- both seem to quack, but one has a darker beak, so not sure (and the darker beak one is more picked on by the Swede than the one w/ the oranger beak).

Tonight is the second night and last night I left the new ones outside because I was worried about a problem in the little quarters. Tonight have them out again. They are in a fenced in area (chicken wire, but dh didn't bury the bottom much). Plus in our area we have coyotes, fox, racoons, and just about every other predator you can imagine.

Will they start getting along better or did I create a royal mess of things getting more ducks??? Will the Black Swede attack them if they are housed together? They were in the outside area all day together, and I had hoped they would get used to each other. For the more part it went ok, but as the day went on, the black one seemed to get more aggressive, so I didn't put them in the house and now ain't nobody happy (especially me).

Any ideas/thoughts/advise??? Other than building another house or getting rid of someone?

Thanks.

 

[cherub78]

I should also add that, as I mentioned in my original post, the new ducks were born in May of this year and all of the others were born in April of this year.

Also, the Pekin and the Rouen seem fine with the new ducks and I *think* the Pekin and Rouen are maybe both females (both quack, the Rouen hasn't changed color, no drake feather-yet, etc).

Also, they are fine with all of the 10 week old bantam chicks- no problems there.

Just wanted to give a little more info and hope someone can help.

Thanks again.

 

[xke4]

I am sorry to say but drakes can be very vicious towards one another. I currently have 5 drakes and one hen. Horrible ratio but all of mine are rescues. I have my coops and my pens divided with secure gates and fences so there are no injuries/deaths but I have in the past had a few ducks spend a week in the ICU.

 

[xke4]

Also, I should add that the two in my avatar were my original two. The Pekin is a male and the small one is an albino mallard. They got along very well until their second spring. That is when the Pekin became interested in mating with the Mallard and nearly killed her.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
i had asked this question before does the albino have pink eyes? It doesnt look albino to me true albinos would have pink eyes (no color) and pink beak and feet.

still cute but i can almost guarrente you taht's not an albino mallard. A white mallard im suer but not "albino"

.

 

[Dodgegal79]

They just need to get their pecking order figured out, they will be ok. I had three drakes and 4 girls and once they figured it out it all worked out. There will be alot of feather pulling and such in the meantime. Don;t worry.

 

[DuckLady]

They will work out their pecking order on their own.

As far as leaving them out along with the chicken wire only and the predators you mention, they should be locked up at night and chickenwire won't do much to keep the predators out.

They are very cute! But I think all ducks are cute!

 

[SunAngel]

I have a Black Swedish pair born Mid May, my male got his Drake feather a couple weeks ago, so I would think yours should be getting his soon.

Within the last month I added a pair of Call ducks and a new mixed pair at two different times. Both times we didnt get home with the new ducks til after dark. So I left the new ducks out in the run during the first night and left the Swedish join them in the morning. They gave them a little tugging and would chase them out of the pond for the first day or so. They eventually gave up and let the Call ducks swim. The Call ducks actually gave the last pair the most grief, but they all settled down after a day or two. The second night, all ducks went into the house together. Everyone seemed to survive just fine.

Hope your duckies start to get along better soon