When should I add my new ducks into the duck flock?

[Cassandragrenr]

So I just got 2 ducks and will be getting 4 more this Wednesday.
2 Muscovies (2 months old), and 4 Cayuga ducks (almost 4 months).
My other ducks are 2 Indian runner drakes, I have no idea how old they are, but definitely over three years old. And 2 muscovy drakes who are 3 years old.
When's the best time to introduce them to each other, and how?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I usually do a look but no touch for a few weeks with some kind of fencing
I would be careful as the boys may try to mate the younger girls and at 2 months they are much to young

 

[Duckduckchicken32]

Do the see but no tough method for a week or two. Then carefully introduce them to each other. Depending on how docile your drakes are, they may or may not be aggressive. Be patient with it, as some ducks cope with each other easier then others. If you want to speed up the process, you can put your newer ducks in dog crates so that they can be with each other overnight in the older ducks coop. Good luck!

 

[Cassandragrenr]

I usually do a look but no touch for a few weeks with some kind of fencing
I would be careful as the boys may try to mate the younger girls and at 2 months they are much to young

So should I only let them be with each other when supervised?

 

[Cassandragrenr]

Do the see but no tough method for a week or two. Then carefully introduce them to each other. Depending on how docile your drakes are, they may or may not be aggressive. Be patient with it, as some ducks cope with each other easier then others. If you want to speed up the process, you can put your newer ducks in dog crates so that they can be with each other overnight in the older ducks coop. Good luck!

could I do the opposite? because the coop the new ducks are currently in is the coop I want to use for all my waterfowl, so I put the older ducks into dog crates in that coop and see how they do?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

So should I only let them be with each other when supervised?

Once I get past the 2 week I try but supervise
You will know if they are going to do okay by watching them
There might be some chase as long as that’s all they do then things should be fine
The drakes may be so excited to have ladies that they may over mate
Just keep a good eye on the girls necks and watch for multiple drakes on one at the same time
You could try letting one drake at a time be with the older of the girls at first

 

[Cassandragrenr]

Once I get past the 2 week I try but supervise
You will know if they are going to do okay by watching them
There might be some chase as long as that’s all they do then things should be fine
The drakes may be so excited to have ladies that they may over mate
Just keep a good eye on the girls necks and watch for multiple drakes on one at the same time
You could try letting one drake at a time be with the older of the girls at first

thing is my muscovy drakes don't swim or be in the water at all! and I'm worried about how mating will be on land. What should I do? Would the girls be okay??

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

thing is my muscovy drakes don't swim or be in the water at all! and I'm worried about how mating will be on land. What should I do? Would the girls be okay??

My boys mate on land all the time
They of course prefer the water but if those girls don’t get to water fast enough after being separate all night they will get them wherever
I don’t let my boys sleep with my girls
I use to and noticed they would mate even at night or first daylight
I like my girls to have space to lay their egg and not be harassed
The boys are penned in the same area just with pet fencing do they lay beside each other on each side of the fence

 

[Duckduckchicken32]

could I do the opposite? because the coop the new ducks are currently in is the coop I want to use for all my waterfowl, so I put the older ducks into dog crates in that coop and see how they do?

Yes! That will work too.

 

[Cassandragrenr]

My boys mate on land all the time
They of course prefer the water but if those girls don’t get to water fast enough after being separate all night they will get them wherever
I don’t let my boys sleep with my girls
I use to and noticed they would mate even at night or first daylight
I like my girls to have space to lay their egg and not be harassed
The boys are penned in the same area just with pet fencing do they lay beside each other on each side of the fence

The younger ones will have roostint bars, which weirdly enough my order muscovies never use, but theyd be able to get away from them atleast