When Do I Introduce My Ducklings To My Flock

[Haydog03]

My two new Pekin ducklings (Bluebell and Cora) are 11 days old! We have three older ducks, Destiny, Hercules, and Pato! Destiny and Hercules are boys, while Pato is a single female! We knew this wouldn't work so we searched for female ducks, but couldn't find any! We got two ducklings, and we don't know if they're female or male (we hope female, hence their feminine names)! My question is, when should we introduce them into the flock? We put the babies out into the yard just to observe how they'd interact. Pato, our female, walked over and just started quivering her head. She kept walking off and turning back to keep an eye on them, nothing aggressive; more curious. The males didn't seem interested, at all, in fact, they were afraid... One of the duckling's have a hurt leg, but I'm working on fixing it with vitamins! We put the babies out for a minute everyday for three days, but we quit after the baby hurt it's leg (we didn't want to cause stress). Recap; Unknown gender ducklings. Two adult males and one adult female. Hurt duckling leg. Any advice appreciated! If the duckling's turn out to be male, is it okay to have 4 males by themselves? Would it be better 3 males and then put Pato with Hercules? When should we introduce the babies to the adults? By the way, the older ducks are only three months!

 

[Haydog03]

Also, also, the weather is fairly warm, so no worries of the babies freezing!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’d set up a look don’t touch pen for your little ones so the older ducklings can be around them but not pick on them They Are still pretty young and size is an issue too especially with the lil one that’s injured now so make a way for them all to be together but not where the older can accidentally hurt run over or bully the little ones.

 

[Haydog03]

Thank you! Do you have any idea why she was quivering her head? She rubbed her beak against them?

 

[chickens really]

Thank you! Do you have any idea why she was quivering her head? She rubbed her beak against them?

She was being aggressive and dominant..

 

[Haydog03]

Thank you! I thought she was nuzzling them...

 

[chickens really]

Thank you! I thought she was nuzzling them...

No..She vibrated because she was dominant and nervous too..Lots of Birds don't like Young when they still peep..

 

[Haydog03]

Oh, shoot! My family celebrated... I guess it was premature. I guess we'll wait till the duckling's are older to introduce them. I hope once their older she won't go back to being dominant and she'll accept them instead! Thanks, again!

 

[chickens really]

You can free range as you watch over them but not pen them together yet..

 

[Haydog03]

Should we stay really close, just in case they poke and prod at the babies, or give them space? We let the duckling's hide under me, when Pato got near so they felt safe... is that good, or should we leave but observe from a far?