Things are a little rough for the new kids in town

[DuckDuckSook]

I have had the exact same issue with my 2 new harlequins and my 2 runners. The runners, especially my chocolate runner was a total jerk. Then the harlequins got big and they started being the jerks. I thought I would have to re-home them but it is slowly getting better. The four of them were actually sharing the pond the other day for a while. It’s just taking much longer than I expected.

How long has it taken to achieve peace?

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I had a similar experience when I added my 4 runners in with my 4 chickens. One chicken (Brown ISA) was a super jerk. I kept putting her in a chicken jail/timeout and keeping her in the house at night instead of in the coop and it never got any better. I ended up selling her to another backyard farmer. My 3 Black Star chickens have never gone after the ducks and everyone gets along very peacefully now. I'm nervous about next year though when we plan on getting new chicks. I have a feeling that the runners will turn into bullies. We shall see.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My chickens and ducks sleep in the same coop chickens up on a roost, ducks on the floor. Only jerk we have is my Muscovy drake who will grab a chicken if she gets into his space and my broody Muscovy who don't like anyone. But the chickens learn to stay out of their way. My Runners are bullies to the muscovy which I think is really funny no attacking just chasing them out of the way. Never a dull moment when you have animals Then of course if you add geese into the equation. I have goose jail.

 

[knwisdom]

How long has it taken to achieve peace?

I had them living in the coop together separated by a fence for 5 weeks and things were still bad when the fence was down for another 2 weeks. now things are pretty peaceful but they still do not like sharing the coop at night. That will have to be addressed before winter but I’m hoping that by then they will be friends.