Momma Duck Being ads talked

[Waytoomanyroosters]

I have recently acquired one male and two female runners. They are prolific egg layers. One has set on the nest twice. The first time the eggs got taken and broken I twos each night. Not sure what it was. She immediately began laying again, set on the eggs and has hatched 7 out of ten eggs. I'm experiencing a serious problem with the male and other female who are stalking the momma duck and trying to grab up the babies. They have killed one of the seven. Momma is getting distressed and unable to settle because the male is constantly attacking and trying to get the babies. Today I was able to catch up the male and female and pen them up. I'm letting momma run free with the babies.
Does anyone know why the male would want to attack and kill the babies?

 

[jtn42248]

Sadly that is what drakes often do. It is best that you keep the male and other female apart from the momma and babies until the babies are big enough to fend for themselves. If any of your babies are males you are probably going to have a real problem with your existing male. Rehoming some or all of the little ones may be the only answer and not allowing any future hatches.

 

[Waytoomanyroosters]

Sadly that is what drakes often do. It is best that you keep the male and other female apart from the momma and babies until the babies are big enough to fend for themselves. If any of your babies are males you are probably going to have a real problem with your existing male. Rehoming some or all of the little ones may be the only answer and not allowing any future hatches.

How do I tell the male from fake on baby runner ducks?

 

[jtn42248]

How do I tell the male from fake on baby runner ducks?

Short of vent sexing there is really no accurate way to tell untill they are older. You might post some pictures on one of the Runner Duck forums and someone may be able to assist you. I do not have Runners so I would not be much help there.

 

[Orca5094]

I agree, keep them separated until the ducklings are as big as the adults (a couple months or so). The safest way of sexing ducklings is waiting until you can sex them by their voice. Females will start adding in little quacks into their peeps as early as a couple weeks old, but I would wait until they are at least a month old to seriously try sexing by voice. Only females quack, males have a quieter, raspy voice that will come out much later than the female's quacks.

You can also vent-sex them of course, but that should be left up to people who have been trained how to do it as it is pretty risky if you don't know exactly what you're doing.