Too many drakes?

[TheTwoRoos]

I got 3 new drakes about a month and a half ago.I already have two drakes,both Pekins,and they are very friendly.So are these other young boys,but they are more aggressive and don't you dare turn your back on them otherwise they chase you,although I showed them whose boss.They do beat on the other ducks,but they have calmed down.We have about 5 males,and 7 hen ducks.My question is do we have enough females for all those boys?

 

[Amiga]

No, you don't have enough females. However you sort this out - through separate pens, more females, rehoming drakes . . .

Please remember that the lives of your ducks - all of them, really - depend on you. Only you can protect them and keep them all safe. I feel they all deserve at least that.

Even when the ratios are right, say a drake per three to six ducks, drakes can gang up on a duck, or a drake may aggressively overmate a duck. Please don't wait till someone is injured or dead. I say this because I have seen that on the forum.

 

[Free Spirit]

No, you don't have enough females. However you sort this out - through separate pens, more females, rehoming drakes . . .

Please remember that the lives of your ducks - all of them, really - depend on you. Only you can protect them and keep them all safe. I feel they all deserve at least that.

Even when the ratios are right, say a drake per three to six ducks, drakes can gang up on a duck, or a drake may aggressively overmate a duck. Please don't wait till someone is injured or dead. I say this because I have seen that on the forum.

X2

 

[Carcajou]

No, you don't have enough females. However you sort this out - through separate pens, more females, rehoming drakes . . .

Please remember that the lives of your ducks - all of them, really - depend on you. Only you can protect them and keep them all safe. I feel they all deserve at least that.

Even when the ratios are right, say a drake per three to six ducks, drakes can gang up on a duck, or a drake may aggressively overmate a duck. Please don't wait till someone is injured or dead. I say this because I have seen that on the forum.

X3

 

[needlessjunk]

No, you don't have enough females.  However you sort this out - through separate pens, more females, rehoming drakes . . . 

Please remember that the lives of your ducks - all of them, really - depend on you.  Only you can protect them and keep them all safe.  I feel they all deserve at least that.

Even when the ratios are right, say a drake per three to six ducks, drakes can gang up on a duck, or a drake may aggressively overmate a duck.  Please don't wait till someone is injured or dead.  I say this because I have seen that on the forum.

Very well said

 

[PotatoWaffles]

I am currently in this situation as well. Before hatching our own eggs, we had a comfortable two drakes to eight ducks. Then we hatched our own eggs, and three our of four ducklings turned out to be boys. Now I have five drakes to nine ducks, and I know this situation is not healthy for the flock. We will have to make the painful decision to cull two of the drakes we just raised (and it's really hard because I love them and they imprinted on me and are so friendly to people), but it's something that needs done. Even then, at three drakes to nine ducks, it might be a little drake-heavy, but we will see.

It's a hard thing to do, but trimming your flock of extra drakes is healthier for everyone. If you don't want to butcher your drakes, you can try posting here on the giveaway thread, or look for local no-kill shelters or rescues. I took a overly hormonal drake to a no-kill shelter this summer, and he was adopted with about thirty other ducks by someone with a fenced yard and big pond. Now he can live out his days with plenty of, ahem, good times ahead with his gals.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Ok they are doing just so fine though

 

[Miss Lydia]

I got 3 new drakes about a month and a half ago.I already have two drakes,both Pekins,and they are very friendly.So are these other young boys,but they are more aggressive and don't you dare turn your back on them otherwise they chase you,although I showed them whose boss.They do beat on the other ducks,but they have calmed down.We have about 5 males,and 7 hen ducks.My question is do we have enough females for all those boys?

You actually need at least 3 ducks to each drake you maybe get by with 2 ducks to each drakes but you'll have to watch some don't get over mated and abused. If you decide to try 2 to each drake you'll need 3 more females.