Poor Silkies! Why are my Pekins so mean?!?

[USMCwifey]

I have 6 white pekins and 2 silkie chicks. They are about 7 weeks old and were raised in the brooder together. About 2 weeks ago the ducks were transferred to their new coop, but the chicks stayed inside because their coop isn't ready yet. Anyways I thought today I should let the chicks outside to free range for a bit while my son and I took a dip in our pool. As soon as I brought the chicks outside they ran over to the ducks and 2 of the ducks chased after them, grabbing, and peaking at the 2 chicks!

It only seems to be 2 ducks that are doing it. Why are they being so mean?

Do ducks and chicks usually not get along? Will they all be ok free ranging or will the ducks continue to chase the chicks around? I was hoping they could share the run area during the day than I could just bring the chicks back inside at night, don't seem very realistic now.

 

[Oneacre Homestead]

Hi, I don't keep my chickens and ducks together, but I have found that breeds like Cochins and silkies are picked on pretty badly even by other chickens. Once I raised some R I Reds with some Cochins and when they got older I had to separate them finally because the RIRs pecked them until they were bleeding. What a pain. Now I have bantam Cochins on order and they will have their own little home. It's a bird eat bird world out there.

 

[USMCwifey]

Quote:
Is it because they're a smaller breed? I feel so bad for them too! They are both such sweethearts and my ducks are usually so quiet and laid back. I guess we're just gonna have to keep them apart. *sigh* Poor babies can't enjoy their ducky friends anymore.

 

[srpaint]

I keep my ducks and chickens together. The chickens just stay away from the ducks. They free range during the day. At night the ducks sleep on the floor of the coop and the chickens roost. But my ducks are not really that mean to the chickens. Maybe it will get better once they have been together for awhile again.

 

[USMCwifey]

Quote:
I sure hope so!

I'll keep intruding them to each other little at a time and supervised!

 

[srpaint]

I don't think they will ever be buddy buddy but I think you will be able to keep them together.

Even when I introduced my ducks to other ducks. About a month apart in age. It took a couple weeks before the older ducks accepted the younger ones.

 

[USMCwifey]

Quote:
Thanks! I don't need them to be like best friends, but I need to at least trust them to free range together on the property! They have 2 acres to run around and wherever the ducks go the chicks wanna follow, but the ducks chase them away.

little butt heads! Hopefully it all works out. Gonna keep letting them free range together and see what happens.

 

[Oneacre Homestead]

My standard cochins were bigger than my RI reds, I think it is just because the Cochins are too nice and wimpy and the reds were like vicious dinosaurs. One of the poor fluffy Cochins got stuck in a fence and they hurt her pretty bad before I came to the rescue! My chikens had a lot of space, I should add.