Preventing inbreeding

[MrsMcCluck]

Hello

I have just been given a dozen ducks, the previous owner hasn't let me know who is related to who, so I don't want to breed from them.

There are three males and nine females. At night they have been shut in together and during the day (once quarantine is over) they will have access to eight acres of fenced pasture.

As they've recently moved here, I don't want to stress them further by seperating them straight away...what should I do?

 

[needlessjunk]

Collect the eggs daily and don't let them sit. When you want to breed specific ducks then you well need to separate them.

 

[alldembirds]

keep them separated, if your not willing to do that they will mate, you don't have to hatch any of the eggs, it wont hurt if they are related, not like humans

 

[Miss Lydia]

Keep them all together if they have been one big flock all you have to do is collect the eggs daily and not let them sit. I do this with mine. It won't hurt a thing for them to mate as long as your collecting eggs.

Welcome to BYC

 

[MrsMcCluck]

Thanks for the advice.

For the immediate future in keeping everyone together.

Looking at the muscoveys, two are mature - a male and female, and the others are smaller so I'm guessing last years hatch. The ratio is eight girls and two boys.

I have no intention of hatching anything this year, I just want them to get settled. Next year I might breed but would separate them.

How does that sound to you more experienced people?