Week-old Pekin won't stop harrassing new babies....any ideas?

[countrygirl74]

Hello everyone!
I'm pretty new here and have learned so much! We used to have a mini-farm when I was a kid but here I am years later starting all over again. I've had to learn a lot as I never paid much attention when I was a kid - mostly just enjoyed the animals.
I ordered 4 ducks from Ideal Poultry along with a big batch of chicks. Only one duckling survived - who is now very spoiled being the only duck in the house. I re-ordered 3 more ducklings (1 more Pekin and 2 Rouens) from Metzer farms and they all arrived today healthy and active.
My problem is that my week-and-a-half-old Pekin "Yangtze" will not leave the new 3 babies alone! She constantly nibbles at their feet, even to the point of pulling them over. When they all try to sleep, she will continue to go after their feet, pulling their feet right out from under them.
For the most part, the babies aren't crying when she does this to them, but I am concerned that she could end up hurting them or at least keep them from resting...
Should I separate them for a while or will she eventually stop? Any ideas? Anyone else ever have this issue?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello everyone!
I'm pretty new here and have learned so much! We used to have a mini-farm when I was a kid but here I am years later starting all over again. I've had to learn a lot as I never paid much attention when I was a kid - mostly just enjoyed the animals.
I ordered 4 ducks from Ideal Poultry along with a big batch of chicks. Only one duckling survived - who is now very spoiled being the only duck in the house. I re-ordered 3 more ducklings (1 more Pekin and 2 Rouens) from Metzer farms and they all arrived today healthy and active.
My problem is that my week-and-a-half-old Pekin "Yangtze" will not leave the new 3 babies alone! She constantly nibbles at their feet, even to the point of pulling them over. When they all try to sleep, she will continue to go after their feet, pulling their feet right out from under them.
For the most part, the babies aren't crying when she does this to them, but I am concerned that she could end up hurting them or at least keep them from resting...
Should I separate them for a while or will she eventually stop? Any ideas? Anyone else ever have this issue?

Hi and

and congrats on your new ducklings. If you could put some kind of separation between your older duckling and the 3 new ones plastic neeting/fencing, window glass without sharp edges clear plastic anything that you can use to separate but so they can still see each other would be the best, give the new little one a chance to get their legs under them with out Yangtze pulling them back out,. she really could hurt them. Then after a few days try putting them together for some play time being there to intervene if she starts in on them again. you may have to keep doing this giving them time together until she decides hey these are my buds which hopefully won't take long. When you take them out for play time maybe distractt by offering some meal worms for a treat so minds are on eating more than picking. [note anytime you offer any kind of treat other than their reg start feed they should always have chick grit. ] Maybe post some pics when you can we love to see new babies.

 

[countrygirl74]

Thanks so much for the encouraging information. I put a separator in their box at night and let them have supervised play time and some swimming time together. It is already going better. In fact, last night I had to put the separator in just to give Yangtze a break from the 3 youngsters! She still harasses the little ones from time to time but it is definitely not as constant. Each day is getting a little less worrisome. I am having so much fun and love all of them so much so I really wanted them to all get along. Thanks again!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks so much for the encouraging information. I put a separator in their box at night and let them have supervised play time and some swimming time together. It is already going better. In fact, last night I had to put the separator in just to give Yangtze a break from the 3 youngsters! She still harasses the little ones from time to time but it is definitely not as constant. Each day is getting a little less worrisome. I am having so much fun and love all of them so much so I really wanted them to all get along. Thanks again!

Great news!!