Hi so all my ducks are still very very young. My oldest 2 are exactly 2 months old and very strongly bonded. Like they can’t be more than 5 feet away from each other without full blown panic setting in.
I also have 2 4 week old and 3 2 week old ducklings all in the brooder together that get along really well. Well one of the 4 week old is a jumbo Pekin and she is almost the size of the older ducks and ready to go outside. I have been trying to slowly get the groups used to each other by bringing the young ones out an hour a day. Well turns out my drake is a jerk!! And he is making his girl follow suit to a lesser extent. He has yet to really hurt any of the ducklings but he harasses them and chases them and pecks at them. I let my Pekin be alone with them in the run for 3 hours today and she did ok but still a lot of harassing! I don’t think she would last the night if I had them share a coop.
I really don’t know what more I can do to get the used to each other or how much to allow as far as this behavior goes. Getting rid of just the drake isn’t an option since they are so tightly bonded. So if it’s a case of get rid of the mean duck they both have to go. I hope you vets have some advice!
I also have 2 4 week old and 3 2 week old ducklings all in the brooder together that get along really well. Well one of the 4 week old is a jumbo Pekin and she is almost the size of the older ducks and ready to go outside. I have been trying to slowly get the groups used to each other by bringing the young ones out an hour a day. Well turns out my drake is a jerk!! And he is making his girl follow suit to a lesser extent. He has yet to really hurt any of the ducklings but he harasses them and chases them and pecks at them. I let my Pekin be alone with them in the run for 3 hours today and she did ok but still a lot of harassing! I don’t think she would last the night if I had them share a coop.
I really don’t know what more I can do to get the used to each other or how much to allow as far as this behavior goes. Getting rid of just the drake isn’t an option since they are so tightly bonded. So if it’s a case of get rid of the mean duck they both have to go. I hope you vets have some advice!