Intro and Drake cause one of the flock to isolate itself

[rickardson]

After some research, this city boy was pleasently talked into getting chickens by my wife. We agreed and then suddenly she showed up at the house with 4 chicks she got at the feed store with our 2 kids. I got jealous and went back to the feed store a few days later ( a different one though) and got 2 more chicks. Since the movie the Avengers just came out we named the chicks after them. Some were easy, Thor (the Blonde chick), Iron Man....not so much, anyway we expanded and I went to a farm off of craigslist and got 4 more chicks and 2 Muscovy ducks. We did this all in the name of eggs by the way so we wanted all females. One of the chicks didn't make it and we were down to 9 chickens and 2 ducks. Well as much as I loved having chickens, I was blown away by my love of ducks. I had to have more. I went out and got 2 khaki campbells and then added a crested runner and crested cayuga. My wife said no more ducks, we don't have the biggest property so until we do I conceded. OK, so now to the meat and potatoes.....so last week was quite interesting. Turns out I have a Rooster, I know this because he finally crowed in front of us. Then I saw the tail feather of one of my Campbells produce the curl. and then I watch him hump the other campbell. I've never seen that before. So the muscovys have always been the leaders of the ducks because they were so much bigger but now the drake campbell (by the way he's the one pictured with me on my profile) is setting his claim and I found the big Muscovy seperated from the other ducks today. And then I put them to bed by closing up the coop and the Muscovy was missing and I found her in what I call the duck house. The Duck house is a place that I built for the ducks low to the ground but as soon as I built it, the young ducks figured out how to walk up the ramp to the coop and now the hens use the duck house to lay their eggs.
So it seems the pecking order has changed at our house hold, anyone ever held of a duck isolating itself from the pack or flock?
How long will this last?

 

[rickardson]

The duck on the right is now in the duck house when she was Queen of the ducks yesterday

 

[Amiga]

Duck social behavior is sophisticated and complicated. There could be a whole lot going on.

She could be ill.

She could be feeling broody.

She could be trying to avoid someone.

Be aware that drakes can hurt, sometimes fatally, a chicken when they mate with her, which they sometimes will. Having a rooster may prevent that. Don't know.

I would scoop up the Muscovy loner, give her a little one on one quality time in a nice lukewarm tub, and look for signs of trouble.

Introducktions are stressful. You can read about my recent story in the Welcome to the Flock thread (right now it is on page 2) and how it progressed over three weeks' time. And this was just three newbies into a flock of ten, all the same age and similar breeds.

Glad you joined us on the forum. Please please keep us posted.

 

[rickardson]

So she went back into the coop last night and into her regular spot to sleep. Today we got a duck egg so maybe she was feeling different and was looking for an area to nest. the other muscovy was in the duck house (which is where most of my chickens lay their eggs) so maybe she is getting that feeling as well, they are around the same age if not the same age.

 

[LissyB]

I had Khaki Campbells, until a month or so ago. But my drake was super feisty and would attack my dog, when my duck started to lay eggs she wouldn't stay at the pond as long, and she would go places she never ever went. Getting eggs is super exciting, congratulations on the first one!