Backyard Fowl Keepers

Hey fellow duck lovers!

This fall, I was down to just four duckstwo drakes and two hens (all about 3.5 years old). They get along fine, but I was worried about over-mating, especially since one of my hens has some health concerns. So, back in October, I decided to add four new female ducklings to the mix!

Until today, theyve been living separately, but I finally moved them into the big duck pen with a large sectioned-off area. They can see each other but cant touch just yet. Three of my older ducks dont seem to mind, but my flock leader? Shes NOT happy. She keeps trying to pick fights through the hardware cloth.

Since this is my first time merging flocks, Id love to hear from you allhow long does it usually take before they can safely mingle? Any tips to make the process smoother?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Watch that aggressive hen-she might need a time out if she doesn't settle down. Sometimes separating the bully for a few days helps!

I had a similar situation last year! It took about two weeks before my older hens stopped being territorial.
Lots of treats helped!

It usually takes my ducks about a week to adjust. Keep an eye on that leader hen-she might need extra time to accept the newcomers!

I introduced new ducks last summer, and it took about 10 days.
Once they started sleeping near each other, I knew it was safe to fully integrate them.

Ducks can be so dramatic! I bet that lead hen will come around eventually, but she just wants to remind everyone she's in charge.

My drakes were the biggest challenge when I merged flocks.
I had to make sure no one was getting too aggressive.
Are yours behaving okay?

When I combined two groups, I let them free-range together first before putting them in the same coop. It helped a lot with the transition!

You're doing it right by letting them see but not touch. I'd give it at least a few days before testing a short, supervised interaction.

I've done this a few times, and I find that slow introductions work best. Maybe try supervised free-ranging together before fully integrating them?