Safe to move ducklings in with drakes?

[LindaMarieLaur]

I have four 7 1/2 week old ducks that I want to move in with my other 3 ducks - 1 duck and two drakes. They no longer need water during the night and have been outside in a separate connected area to the 3 adults during the day (moved to my porch at night) so the ducks all know each other exist for about 3 weeks now. They quack and do not make baby noises anymore. My concern with combining the ducks is whether or not the drakes can hurt they younger ducks if they try to mate them and will they try to mate them if they can? Has anyone had experience moving younger ducks in with drakes? I'd love to hear your experience. Thank you.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Personally, I would wait longer but you can let them see each other through some chicken wire or something. If you feel they get along well you can let them have some supervised time together.

 

[LindaMarieLaur]

Personally, I would wait longer but you can let them see each other through some chicken wire or something. If you feel they get along well you can let them have some supervised time together.

Thank you. They have been able to see each other for about 3 weeks on a daily basis/fence between them. I will maybe try supervised today while I clean out the duck house. Their nighttime quarters are getting pretty cramped so I would like to move them when it will be alright. My alternative is to consider moving the drakes to the pond duck house. The area they are in now is fenced and near the barn. Preditors don't seem to like this location which works well. I have a fox that lives on my back property and am a bit worried about securing the duck house on the pond peninsula. Fox can't swim so that isn't the issue but how to work it so ducks enter and exit water using the peninsula is not a way I can guarantee.

 

[LindaMarieLaur]

I just read fox can swim but prefer not to so I still want to get the peninsula at least secure