Re-homed girls, now distraught. Did I make a mistake

[KaleIAm]

Well this thread is really wacky. I didn't finish my reply, I thought I lost it after looking everywhere. Had to remember and retype the whole thing and now when I hit post they both are here.

That's happened to me before, too. Sometimes I make an edit. No worries.

 

[Debby Duck]

Hi there Debby!

Sorry for your second guessing and concern. I too have felt this before.

Thing is that mounting is part of how MANY animals in the animal kingdom actually set dominance.. and I'd be shocked if there was no mounting at all going on in the younger pen.. Even hens mount each other and so will the males.

Mounting does not always equal mating! That's my first thought.

Secondly.. humans are tuned out to many natural things including hormones and pheromones for the most part.. we just react to whatever our brain implies, not understanding that many of these impulses are actually hormone related... the production of an egg is only ONE physical outward symptom of sexual maturity.. and the only one most humans care about or identify with. Even humans can have relation far sooner than they are ready to produce a baby.. it's part of the growing process.. to practice behaviors along the way to perfecting them. In poultry, the semen is stored inside the hen and viable for fertilizing an egg for up to about 3 weeks give or take depending on individual conditions... So in nature.. their goal is to spread their seed and further the next generation.. they aren't worried about politics or morals and don't live according to the values a human placed on a specific age.

Please note I am NOT condoning pedophilia or anything of that sort in human terms..

I am conveying that nature has more going on than we can perceive.

Also Debby.. I whole heartedly think you made what you believed was the best choice.. and it probably was with this just being your expression of heartache and worry/fear.. what ifs. But according to your description of that family.. THEY too will very much take care of them lovely ladies you blessed them with and work to do what is right by the animals..

Truth is.. change is hard, even when it is change for the better (long term).. Integration is always the most challenging and seems so scary to people who are familiar with all the body language and even the different sounds they make that communicate things.. It sounds like it didn't go ideally.. because a look but don't touch period might have been nice.. but this is where it is already.. and so for the most part.. human interference will just delay and inhibit the process... in MY experience.

Are you able to share any of your photos or videos?

Hope this is encouraging!

Thank you for your kind words and information. They helped a lot. I got a new picture today that I'll add from them. The other video doesn't show very well. And the picture, well, I didn't say anything but it looks like they were still stressed when they took that one, but maybe that's just my perception so I won't post it. The more recent one they look okay. I hope so. Thanks again.

On second thought, I'll have to do that tomorrow. It's somewhere on my phone and I can't find it now.

 

[Debby Duck]

Here's a picture the new owners sent me. The younger ducks are not in the picture. They look so small next to the pekins

 

[KaleIAm]

I forgot to mention in my first reply, I remembered your situation with your girl. I kept wondering though if I could really expect to find a home where they wouldn't be mated. Although I would prefer that. I felt like I was getting closer to the time things could change rapidly. I thought they would hang out with the younger group until they all mixed. But, no they don't separate by gender. When mine escaped into the adult open, they thought oh they want to be in there. But I think she's was just panicked and running. At first it looked fine until my girls started to fight each other and a drake tried to mate one. My husband said the same as others do, they just need to adjust. So I thought I better give it a try. They said the fighting stopped. I just really hoped they were going to go back in with the young ones. But that didn't happen.

I forgot to mention that I was thinking about your duck while trying to time this right. I didn't want to wait until it was too late. Maybe that's been haunting me. I don't know. But while I thought the girls would be in with the younger ducks, it didn't work. My husband said the same thing others on the thread did, that they'll adjust. So I'm just going to have to accept it. She sent me a picture today after I inquired. They appear to be good. I'll post that later, another person asked if I had any.
I did share what I know about the male female ratio. And they are aware, as more will be coming into the adult pen. I hope sooner rather than later is all I can do now though. But they don't separate by gender.

I made sure they knew the crest makes them vulnerable and to watch that.
I'm sure they want me to feel comfortable in my decision. So I don't expect they'll send me updates or pictures of bad news. Not that they owe me either one. The ducks belong to them now and I can only hope they're as anxious as I am to move more girls in.

I think this is one of those situations where all your options were going to bring you heartache. The home they are in could work out wonderfully, but the introduction could have gone smoother and that was hard to see. It really does take time to adjust. Maybe when the younger ducks grow up a little they will decide to put the males into that pen?

It's so hard to let them go. I understand completely. If you are like me, the ducks will adjust faster than you will. And they have each other. I know they fought a little, but that was in a moment of extreme stress. It's natural for animals to do that, but I understand how it was startling and upsetting to see. It would have been for me, too.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I know that you are doing the best for your ducks that you possibly can. I hope you know it, too.

 

[Debby Duck]

I think this is one of those situations where all your options were going to bring you heartache. The home they are in could work out wonderfully, but the introduction could have gone smoother and that was hard to see. It really does take time to adjust. Maybe when the younger ducks grow up a little they will decide to put the males into that pen?

It's so hard to let them go. I understand completely. If you are like me, the ducks will adjust faster than you will. And they have each other. I know they fought a little, but that was in a moment of extreme stress. It's natural for animals to do that, but I understand how it was startling and upsetting to see. It would have been for me, too.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I know that you are doing the best for your ducks that you possibly can. I hope you know it, too.

Thank you. I sure hope they're doing it better than I am!