# Do all ducks get along?



## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

We had 2 adult white crested(1 male & 1 female) & 9 ducklings that we got from the same ladyonly a different pen & they were about 4 weeks at the time. We bought them all together & they got along instantly.

Well yesterday morning we bought 4 Indian runners from a lady not far from us. 3 she hatched in August becuase something got the momma & then the other 1 she hatched in an incubator in June. Well it's like my ducks I had are kinda bullying the runners ducks. No blood or pulled feathers, etc. but when they go to the feed dishes the others may run them off & then the 1 hatched in June I'm almost positive it is a female becuase she is VERY loud, but anyways I've noticed some of the young ducks from the 1st group going after what would be like her butt(sorry, don't know what you call it).
Are they just getting aquainted, are the young one's chasing her most likely males or what?
Will they all become best of buddies in a couple days?
Most of the 9 young ducks will be butchered after old enough since that woman we bought from didn't know what they were & they are looking like rouan's & mixed breed's & I really just wanted Runners & the 2 white crested.
Thanks in advance for the help.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

They'll settle down pretty soon. I'd put a second feed dish in on the other side of the pen for now to make sure your runners get enough.


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## eross230 (Apr 28, 2006)

When I added 4 new ducks to my flock, it took about 3 weeks for them all to get along. They didn't really pick on each other, just stayed apart in different ends of the pond. They gradually started getting closer and closer until they decided they could, in fact, be friends. Now they're inseparable. I don't feed my ducks in the summer so food wasn't an issue.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I did add a 2nd food dish & there was already 2 water dishes besides there kiddie pool so I put a bigger distance between the 2 food & water dishes.
When the ducks that have been here start in there direction the new ducks run in a different direction or a corner. I just feel bad for them. No one is getting hurt and I'll keep a close eye on them.
We lock our ducks up at night so critters don't get them & I worried about the new one's last night but everyone came out this a.m. unruffled it looked like. It's a pretty big house, 8 foot long from end to end & 3 1/2 feet deep so I think that will be enough room for all of them at night till the young one's get butchered.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I expect they'll be fine. Ducks rarely draw blood, usually they just poke each other.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

The only time I've ever had blood was two adult drakes in breeding season that didn't get along (not from the same hatch, if they are raised together they seem to be fine). The aggressive one is in my freezer now. He was picking on all the drakes and things are much calmer now. 

You should be able to tell the girls by 8 weeks - the drakes do NOT quack, the ducks quack. Just pick one up and a girl will let you know!! Drakes from this last spring may well be old enough to be interested in the ducks, though biting a ducky bottom is pretty common - sometimes they are just naughty!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

They seem to be doing a little better this a.m. when I let them out but the 4 runners are still sticking together & keeping a little distance from the rest of the ducks that were already here.
They are all so cute, dh & I love to set down there & just watch them. Funny little birds & they seem so curious about things too.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Ducks that are raised together often stay in a group - even a couple of years later. Don't worry about that, it's just how they are. I try to mix mine up a bit at times (I have enough they use two pens or even more at night) so that they will cope with being moved around. They are quite social.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Over the last 10+ years we have raised ducks, some have been raised by the mom's, others have been bought and raise in our brooder. We now have about 35-40. They never stand still, so its hard to know how many we have. But I can tell you they all never get along. There always seems to be a mad bird/birds in the group. As long as they are not hurting each other, there should be no problem. We have had to over the years put a few ducks in the freezer, because they were just mean. Just watch for the mean ones and the rest will get along, most of the time.


Edit: We have Cayugas, Campbell, Runners, Buffs, Pekins and a few crosses. All the breeds get along, it has nothing to do with the breed. Just with the individual bird/birds.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

The younger one's that look like they are doing the pecking are eventually going in the freezer. We are giving one of DH's friends a couple of the young rouan's to put with his chicken's. He has 2 young boy's & we have given them 2 rabbits before for pet's also.
They do look like they are all getting along a little better each day but the runners still keep off by themselves for the most part.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Backfourty said:


> The younger one's that look like they are doing the pecking are eventually going in the freezer. We are giving one of DH's friends a couple of the young rouan's to put with his chicken's. He has 2 young boy's & we have given them 2 rabbits before for pet's also.
> They do look like they are all getting along a little better each day but the runners still keep off by themselves for the most part.


We have groups of birds that run together, and that can change from week to week. My big problem with the Runners is that the Eagles, Hawks like to pray on them. If the Runners are running with the bigger birds there is no problem. Its when they run together, we have problems. Not that you can change who is in a group. but beware that pretators seem to love the Runners.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Sorry for the pun- but can't resist. They have to settle thier pecking order  Being ducks they can get quacked off quite easily


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks for the headsup Airotciv, I don't see Eagles around here but do about 20 miles north but we have plenty of hawks. I will keep a watch out for them & if so have to put netting over the top or half of there pen.


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