Too soon to merge the new girls with the boys?

[SeaSea47]

I wrote in a few weeks ago about merging my old three year flock (2 drakes, 2 hens) with my four new girls. The new girls are about 4 1/2 months.

For the last three weeks, the new girls have been living in a large dog kennel inside my big pen and they all get about two hours of free range time a day together (monitored). It really hasn’t been that bad. They chase each other and have some minor squabbles over food/water but they forage and roam like one big flock. And my big pen has five water stations and three food stations.

I think it would be okay to leave the kennel door open inside the pen, but I’m concerned the new girls are too young if the boys try to mate with them.

Fwiw, the new girls are actually larger than my drakes. I’ve only seen one attempt at mating and she body slammed him and chased him all over the yard. But they aren’t laying yet.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Ducks start mating practice at around 3 - 4 months old, so 4.5 months old should be just fine.

 

[SeaSea47]

Ducks start mating practice at around 3 - 4 months old, so 4.5 months old should be just fine.

Great, thanks. Someone told me they should be laying when I do that, so I just wanted to double check. We’ll see how it goes today!

 

[KathiQuacks]

Great, thanks. Someone told me they should be laying when I do that, so I just wanted to double check. We’ll see how it goes today!

You know, I’ve read that too.. I mean, 4.5 months is definitely old enough, I’ve had hens start laying at that age, but I could see 3 - 4 month olds struggling with older, more zealous drakes. Maybe my first statement isn’t completely accurate

 

[SeaSea47]

You know, I’ve read that too.. I mean, 4.5 months is definitely old enough, I’ve had hens start laying at that age, but I could see 3 - 4 month olds struggling with older, more zealous drakes. Maybe my first statement isn’t completely accurate

Well, right now my drakes are scared and intimidated by them. I may try it today since I’m gonna be working outside a lot and monitor before nighttime.

 

[SeaSea47]

I ended up leaving them in the pen for a few hours together and they were mostly fine (still a few squabbles), but one of the new girls is limping a little, so I just put them back in the dog kennel for the night so she can rest. I don’t think it’s from the drakes - I think she may have just done something on her own. But I do think they’ll be okay in the long run.