[monicamum]

Please can someone give me some advice on when I can put some baby ducklings in with their mum/s and dad.

Our golden silkie hatched them 3 and half weeks ago and they are seperate at night and in a sperate run during the day.

We dont know the sexes yet but is it ok to put any females in with their dad once they are able?

[bantam novice]

Hello Monicamum, and welcome to the forum 
I am not that much of an expert about ducks but I'm sure someone more experienced will be along to advise you.
In the meantime good luck and keep us posted 

[orchardlady]

Well I've just had a look at my duck book and this is what it says:
'Confine hens and their broods in a secure building each night until the ducklings are 6-8 weeks old. This significantly reduces the possibility of losses from predators.
Hens can be aggressive towards strange ducklings and may injure or kill them. Don't confine two or more hens together with their broods, particularly during the first week or two.
Allowing a new brood in with an established flock can be dangerous for the young ones, especially when ducks are penned in close confinement and the strange ducklings may threaten the territorial boundaries of the adults. If your flock of ducks is permitted to roam freely, ducklings may not be bothered. In any case, newly hatched ducklings should be allowed with adult birds ONLY if you can be on hand to remove them if a problem develops.'

Orchardlady

[monicamum]

Thank you for the comments.

Our other chickens do not seem bothered by the ducklings who are now standing taller than their surrogate mum, Monica the silkie!  Its the male duck I am bothered about as he goes up to their run and flaps his wings around and makes alot of noise, presumably he is being territorial.  I am not planning on introducing them for quite a few weeks but my concern is that if they are females he will try and mate with them and I am not sure if thats ok as they are his offspring and also whether they should be a certain age before he is allowed to.

[orchardlady]

I think it would be unlikely that he would mate with your young ladies until they are mature enough. If he does it does not matter as long as you do not then use those eggs to incubate.

It might be worth giving yourselves a quite Sunday afternoon to mix them together to see how things go. Ducks as I understand it and in my limited experience, have seen, don't seem to have as many social issues as hens.

Orchardlady.

[monicamum]

Thank you Orchardlady for your advice and information. 

Sounds like a quiet Sunday and a long fishing net are in order!  Hopefully we will know in the next couple fo weeks what sex they are aswell.

Will let you know haw we get on