will my duck be fine with chickens?

[Bryntee]

I have an almost 2 month old Black Swedish duck whom I believe is female. She quacks, is the only reason I believe she's female AND she sounds nothing like the males I've heard on youtube. Anyway I've done some research and read that I can't put my duck with other ducks or chickens because she's imprinted on me and thinks she's human. I have 3 hens that I was hoping to put my duck Charlie with but they just attack poor Charlie. Well my one chicken Henley just really pecks at Charlie while Rhoda and Blithe just kinda look at her. Charlie is deathly afraid of the chickens and will not go outside if they are out. I've slowly been putting her out more and more when the chickens are out but I wanna know if this is just a lost cause and if in fact Charlie has to stay a house duck. HELP!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Personally I only keep ducks, I'd love chickens but lack appropriate housing for chickens.... I would not put them together if you already see signs that it's not going well.

 

[Bryntee]

Weeell I'm trying to see if I can put her outside so she isn't in the house. I work all day so she wouldn't be able to run around unless she were outside. But I read she could die of loneliness... I thought putting her with my chickens would help with that. I tried putting her with other ducks and she wanted nothing to do with them.

 

[Going Quackers]

Some pecking and just in general arguing is normal with newbies BUT chickens can be a right pest and harm a duck if they choose too, those beaks are SHARP.

My big hens free range around my ducks but are housed separately and really are not friends they just eyeball one another as they pass by lol

For now my best suggestion is an area where she can see the chickens but not be peaked unfairly by them. This will give her a chance to be outdoors resume normal foraging and yet still have company.

May i ask what happened, how did you only get one duck? did her clutch mates die. Ducks are flock animals and really do best with others of their own kind, frankly i wouldn't rule out another duck for a companion, it may take awhile but is really what is best if you cannot be a proper flock mate and fulfill that void.

 

[Bryntee]

Well I put 6 eggs in my incubator and ended up having 2 that hatched. One died (I'm not sure what happened) but then I was left with just one. I was going to give the ducklings to my aunt buuuut with only one that hatched I decided to keep the one till she was old enough to be outside with the other ducks. I've been doing research tho and found its not an okay situation for Charlie to just be thrown outside since she's so closely bonded with me. But the more I think the more I realize its not an ideal situation for Charlie to be inside since I work all day long.

 

[Going Quackers]

That's too bad, you were clearly between a rock and a hard place. Can you look into anymore ducks? i think that is best in the long run, honestly. It isn't right for her to be cooped up inside all day.

 

[jdywntr]

I would agree that another duck would be ideal. No birds are going to automatically take to a new arrival (like a dog would) they require time to get used to each other. Hand reared ducks can acclimate to a flock environment but I think the sooner the better. She is still young so will look to older animals for support. Your problem would be finding an older one that will tolerate a young duck.

I'd look for a similar aged duckling. You can get them used to each other in adjoining pens and once they are okay together you can do the same with them and the chickens. I think it unlikely that the chickens will accept a lone duck. They will look at her as an outsider.

Because chickens can peck, more caution needs to be used. They may never get along (mine don't) but they will likely tolerate each other. Separate housing would be best but if you could find an area in the chicken coop for the ducks to sleep that should work, eventually.

When you have everyone out together, offer treats, veggies, scratch etc so that they associate each other with good things.

Good luck.

 

[Bryntee]

well I'm in search of another duck! lol I will do ANYTHING to ensure Charlie a happy healthy life. I love her dearly and couldn't imagine her dying of loneliness because she didn't have another duck or myself. I mean we've even considered putting a room in the house as her room but I just feel it's important for her to be outside and with other ducks. I just felt scared from what I found on the internet about putting her outside after her being with me for so long, so I posted on here! lol boy am I glad I did. If you feel it would work for her to have another duck I will get another.