Aggressive Ancona drake

[Jlburke]

Does anyone have advice as to how to tame an aggressive Ancona drake? He is not aggressive with our female ( we currently only have 2 ducks). He is aggressive with me and our family members - nipping, biting and circling around us. He hisses and and when trying to feed him, he lashes out and tries to bite. He is about 7 months old and has been doin this for about a month. Would more female ducks help? I would feel terrible giving him away but nothing seems to help and my kids are afraid of him now.

 

[Amiga]

I think he is being protective. Sometimes you can cool their jets by gently holding them down to show who is boss. Nothing that could hurt him. Adding ducks may help or not - social interactions cover a wide range of possibilities.

 

[Jlburke]

Thank you. I'm wondering if this a phase that he will outgrow. I'm hoping adding some females may help. He is not aggressive with other ducks - just humans. Trying to show him who's boss has not worked so far and it's been a few weeks. So upsetting.

 

[whamphascat]

my drake would wait for u to open the door , he would fly strait at u and start biting H never stopped .

 

[Jlburke]

What did you do? I'm fearing I have to give him away. I have three children who are very afraid of him now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you. I'm wondering if this a phase that he will outgrow. I'm hoping adding some females may help. He is not aggressive with other ducks - just humans. Trying to show him who's boss has not worked so far and it's been a few weeks. So upsetting.

Some drakes have to be reminded daily. I had one of those and I just kept letting him know His behavior was not acceptable to me, I would not let him get close I'd use a broom to put between us or a long pole never hit him with it but it was a line he couldn't cross. I would even sweep him away from me when he just wouldn't accept that I didn't want his attentions. or his aggressiveness towards me, Now he is one of the best drakes I have, consistency is the name of the game here.I did get my drake some girls and that helped alot but I still had to convince him I was off limits. Sometimes he'll still come up and start biting on me I just ignore him and he waddles off.

 

[Jlburke]

Thank you. Do you know how long it took for him to show signs of responding? I do the same but I don't feel like he is getting the picture. I think I need to get him some females ASAP!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you. Do you know how long it took for him to show signs of responding? I do the same but I don't feel like he is getting the picture. I think I need to get him some females ASAP!

Imprinted drakes are hard as nails, but once you get him some girls try not to have much interaction with him for a while and let him bond with his girls. Now when you get these girls you won't be able to just toss them all together and expect happy ever after, they will need to be introduced with temp fencing or how ever you figure it out, I like to buy the plastic chicken fencing at lowes and put it up between who I am introducing and the established flock usually takes a week or longer. Large dog crates work nicely to put new comers in to keep them separate at night but in same house.If they are out free ranging I would put him up if the children are outside. Kids running, talking loudly maybe teasing not saying yours have can cause aggression. Drakes coming into the hormone time of their lives are so full of them selves but with hard work they can become easier to manage. Keep hands away don't let him come around when putting down feed bowls just keeping him at a distance for now. Now that I have typed all of this, how old were your ducks when you got them? I have never had any problems out of my other 3 drakes who where born here but raised by their mothers, The only drake who has been aggressive is my one that was rejected by his mama and I raised him.

 

[loftkeeper]

you have a aggressive animal it wil produce aggressive young just like wild one produce wild tame produce tame that why they say what you put in the flock is what you get so this goes for any livestock

 

[Miss Lydia]

you have a aggressive animal it wil produce aggressive young just like wild one produce wild tame produce tame that why they say what you put in the flock is what you get so this goes for any livestock

Maybe so but my drake has sired some ducklings and 1 was a drake and he is not in the least aggressive.