What Age to Integrate the Ducklings with the Adults?

[swampducks]

I haven't seen an answer this specific especially when it relates to the males trying the drown the ducklings as my pekin and rouen tried a couple times last month when momma runner and the kids made their escapes for the pond.

But I went away for a week and now the ducks seem so HUGE. They're a month old now and even the littlest one is almost as big as the runner. The temporary duck pen in the garage is a disaster with the poop (DH is aghast at the mess, he's the one that looked after them while I was gone) and DH would love to have them outside.

So what are the chances of the daddy ducks still trying to drown their kids? Momma runner is no match for the bigger guys.

 

[DuckyBoys]

I would have to say you're just gonna have to try it and see what happens. Don't leave them alone. Maybe you can introduce them for an hour or so and then seperate them when you have to leave the area and then keep doing that until you're sure they will be OK.

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule - just gotta play it by ear.

 

[Katy]

I've always done it the same way with ducks as I do with chickens....I wait until they're as big as the adults I'm putting them in with.

 

[greyfields]

Get the introductions over with. It will be weeks if months before they fully integrate though. What you'll find is the younger ones inching closer and closer to the rest of the flock. Eventually they coalesce. But it's not overnight.

 

[DuckyBoys]

Quote:
Boy is that the truth! My dewlaps try and try to become one of the family but those Buffs are relentless if they get too comfortable! They have, over the past week, become closer, but not fully just yet.

 

[swampducks]

I just don't want to see the "wannabe baby killers" attempt to drown the ducklings again! Momma escaped with them to the pond when they were only a week old and the males had a field day trying to ram them under water with their heads! Scary. They are so much bigger now though I hope that can't happen.

I'm not worried about their eventual inclusion, just don't want them to end up dead. :|