Three week olds mixing with three day olds?

[hagemand]

Hi everyone, quick question.

Just got my order of ducklings in (well half of it, at least). If they hatched on Monday, I guess that makes them three days old now. Is there any harm in having them in the same brooder as my two three-month old ducks? Assuming they have a baby-sized waterer and food dish, and access to a heat lamp, is there any harm in putting them together? My instinct is to keep them separate for at least a little while, but I want to make sure they socialize before the older ducks get too old.

Thanks!

 

[wildpeas]

It would be better to keep them separately for now. The younger ducklings have different heat requirements than the older ones and the older ones may not take too kindly to the babies which means pecking. I have some 8 week ducks and some 4 week ducklings. They go outside near each other every day and the older ones still try to chase and bite the younger ones.