Recently mean drake?

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flapjackfarm

flapjackfarm

Chirping
Jun 14, 2015
104
3
53
Shiawassee County, Michigan
Hey, y'all. I'm still kind of new to poultry keeping. My 8 month old Black Swedish hen and year old Rouen hen have started laying eggs just about a week ago. My 8 month old BS drake has since become slightly testy. You turn your back on him and he will chase you. Brave man even chases my 70lb Labrador (who doesn't care about it in the slightest). I have a toddler who LOVES all of my poultry, so I don't want my drake to chase him and hurt him or crush his love of the birds.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is it because it's mating season? Thanks in advance!
 
flapjackfarm said:
Hey, y'all. I'm still kind of new to poultry keeping. My 8 month old Black Swedish hen and year old Rouen hen have started laying eggs just about a week ago. My 8 month old BS drake has since become slightly testy. You turn your back on him and he will chase you. Brave man even chases my 70lb Labrador (who doesn't care about it in the slightest). I have a toddler who LOVES all of my poultry, so I don't want my drake to chase him and hurt him or crush his love of the birds.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is it because it's mating season? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

It's hormones. You'll want to show him that he isn't the boss. I pick mine up and hold him when he's being a jerk. I've heard others shoo the drake away with a broom when he's misbehaving. There are many ways to curb the aggressiveness. I've also heard of turning the hose on a drake briefly. It's quite possible that the drake will chase the toddler. Please be careful and good luck!
 
I will have to try holding him. All 5 of my ducks shy away from me and don't like to be held or touched, but I want them to know it's okay. I know ducks are prey birds, so their fear is normal. But, all I have to do is turn around and he backs down from me. I think holding him sounds best just because I don't want to instill fear. Thank you for your response!
 
I hope so, too. I've only noticed a change in his attitude within the last week or so. He did chase my two bantams (hen and roo), but I just figured he was trying to show dominance over the barn. My poor bantams won't come down from the loft now
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It was when he started to chase me and my dogs that I figured something was up.
 
I've been having the same problem with my ale rouen for a couple months. He chases me while I'm walking out the duck pen, and he is constantly trying to bite my hands. I've heard that you are supposed to hold them to the ground for a few minutes to teach him who's boss
 
brookesducks said:
I've been having the same problem with my ale rouen for a couple months. He chases me while I'm walking out the duck pen, and he is constantly trying to bite my hands. I've heard that you are supposed to hold them to the ground for a few minutes to teach him who's boss
Click to expand...

Yep, that's another way to teach them and it works. I hope it's just the typical Spring rush of hormones for these guys. I have a Pekin drake that was charging me. All it took was me charging back at him twice and he hasn't done it since.
 
I should mention that not all methods work for all drakes. Just try some things mentioned here. More often than not, they'll calm down. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!

Happy St. Patty's Day by the way!
 

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