Trouble with new chick and duck getting along with the flock

[Gone]

I have a female duck that was born about the first of May and a young female chicken born about the middle of June. I have tried just about everything to smoothly put them in with my adult female chickens, including putting the biggest trouble maker in the flock in a crate and keeping her away from everyone else for two weeks. I have tried to get the duck to poke the adult chickens with her beak, but she ends up with sore eye lids because the adult chickens go after her and peck at her eye. It is a good thing she has kept her eye shut tight or she might be blind in that eye by now. The young female chicken just runs from the other chickens frantically for her life. I didn't know I couldn't add anything to my flock. It seems that you have to totally start over with all babies raised together to have a group get along. I guess I'll always have to keep the duck and chick together in the outside covered pen at night and in a fenced yard during the day or in a crate at night. It's sad because I love them so much and can't stand having anyone hurt. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[nuthatched]

Of course you can add new animals to a flock, but it need to be done correctly and it takes time. Did you keep the new duck and chicken separated on the other side of a fence were they could see but not touch the others for a few weeks?

I have tried to get the duck to poke the adult chickens with her beak,

Why? Please explain because I've never heard of anything like this.
You
There's going to be squabbles, it's called the pecking order. Can you explain your method introducing that you've been using.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Of course you can add new animals to a flock, but it need to be done correctly and it takes time. Did you keep the new duck and chicken separated on the other side of a fence were they could see but not touch the others for a few weeks?

Agreed, this would be the first step. Once the adult birds are no longer as interested in the younger birds, you can try taking the fence down and supervising to see how well they get along.

At that point in time it's very helpful to have a lot of clutter around to provide hiding spots for the younger birds, as well as multiple feeders (and possibly waterers) placed far apart to prevent food guarding.

Why? Please explain because I've never heard of anything like this.

x2. This is crazy, why would you want to encourage any bird to peck another in the eye?

 

[Gone]

Of course you can add new animals to a flock, but it need to be done correctly and it takes time. Did you keep the new duck and chicken separated on the other side of a fence were they could see but not touch the others for a few weeks?


Why? Please explain because I've never heard of anything like this.
You
There's going to be squabbles, it's called the pecking order. Can you explain your method introducing that you've been using.

The duck will not defend herself. The four other hens gang up on her when I put them together and one will push her head to one side and peck her eye lid. I was hoping that the chickens would be more scared of her if I made it like she was attacking them. I never hurt them. It didn't work anyway. First, I tried keeping the duck and chick in an outside pen right next to the coop and their pen. After a few weeks, I let one hen in with the chick and duck for a few hours watching them close. Then I would do it with each of the other three hens one at a time. Then, I opened the door to the coop so there could be a sort of open house where the four hens, chick, and duck could go in and out of the coop and yard with each other. Sometimes it seemed they were ok, but if I would leave their site for 20 minutes, they would chase the chick and try to corner her and the duck would have a bleeding eye lid. I wish I could correct it. I even tried a squirt gun.

 

[Gone]

I kept the chick and duck separated from the hens at least 4 weeks. They are now separated so they don't get hurt. I didn't try to get a chicken to peck another chicken. I had the duck put her beak at the adult hen a couple of times to try to get the hen to think the duck would go after her and defend herself. Thanks.

 

[Gone]

I kept the chick and duck separated from the hens at least 4 weeks. They are now separated so they don't get hurt. I didn't try to get a chicken to peck another chicken. I had the duck put her beak at the adult hen a couple of times to try to get the hen to think the duck would go after her and defend herself. Thanks.

 

[nuthatched]

I think you need to find the duck a new home, unfortunately. Ducks and chickens need their own species to hang around with

 

[rosemarythyme]

4 weeks is a good period of see but don't touch, so that should've helped them acclimate...

Any photos of your set up? Both coop and run and how the younger birds are situated next to adults?