chickens attack my ducks

[rita]

hello

i have just started to keep ducks i have two appleyards which are now 11 weeks old and i have 3 hybrid chickens and all was well for about a week, now all hell is let loose when my ducks are out with the chickens they jump on the ducks and pull out there feathers, what can i do to stop them so they can all live happily.

 

[Davidd]

Hello, you need to keep them separate until the ducks are much older-can you fence an area for the ducks?
The hens will get used to them eventually but at the moment the ducks are too young -they will be frightened - once they have seen each other through the fence for a few weeks they will settle down.
regards, David

 

[rita]

thank you David, yes i have separated them off so that they can see each through the fence, hopefully they will settle down and except the ducks, poor little loves.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, we've just had a tragedy today and would like some advice if anyone can help.

We recently got 2 Call ducks. We'd read up a lot on how ducks can live with hens. So the ducks have been living in a fully enclosed run within the hen run for a few weeks so the hens would get used to them being there. The ducks come in to sleep in a cage in the kitchen at night. Today we let them mix with the hens for the first time. Everything seemed to be ok to begin with then one hen attacked one of the ducks. We separated them straight away but realised her eye had been injured. We rushed her to the vets and they operated on her to save her eye. The operation went well but she didn't come round from the anesthetic. We are very upset and also feel totally responsible and guilty.

The problem now is that we have her friend left on his own. He called for her most of the day. He is in the kitchen in his cage now and has settled down. He is still eating and seems ok in that sense. We don't know what to do about him. Obviously we are NEVER going to mix ducks with hens again. But is it unfair to keep him on his own? We work from home so he will have company, plus we've got other (safe) pets mooching about all the time. Or should we get another duck? But would they fight? Or should we give him back to the people we got him from, or will he get picked on going back into the flock he left?

Any advice will be gratefully received and it is the duck's welfare we are most concerned about. Although I would struggle to give him away now

It' been a horrible day!

 

[girlracer265]

so sorry to hear

my ducks and chooks live happily together now tho i kept them seperate at first
i would get a new mate for him, ducks don't do well alone

 

[Davidd]

Hi , yes, agree with girlracer- better to get another duck- he will be so much happier.
regards, David

 

[rita]

i am really sorry to hear about your duck, i am worried about putting mine back together and after reading what happened to you, i don't know if i will. also i would get another duck, like chickens they like company.
when the fox had my chickens we had one left she attached herself to us and wanted us to pick her up and be with her i couldn't bear to see her on her own so i bought two new hens and put them in the nest box at night when it was still dark when morning came they all came out together no problems at all and still very happy together. i have used this method before and it's alway worked.