Considering a Trio of Welsh Harlequins

I have read that you need to have at least 3 ducks to one drake. The preferred is 5 to one.
I was also having a hard time deciding.
I am getting 4 female ducks from metzerfarms. Two Welsh, one Cayuga and one white layer. Manly for pets but with the huge benefit of eggs. ( chicken eggs make me sick) I couldn't afford the shipping so I started a Co -op and three other lady's are getting ducks as well.
I decided that it was not worth the hassle to get a drake. You have to worry about over breeding, feeding the drake different food when the ducks are laying. I don't have room for two duck yards in case I had to separate the drake so getting a drake was out of the picture. If I want more ducks later I'll just order more or find someone who is selling fertilized eggs and let my WH hatch them out.

neetabeamie said:

I have read that you need to have at least 3 ducks to one drake. The preferred is 5 to one.
I was also having a hard time deciding.
I am getting 4 female ducks from metzerfarms. Two Welsh, one Cayuga and one white layer. Manly for pets but with the huge benefit of eggs. ( chicken eggs make me sick) I couldn't afford the shipping so I started a Co -op and three other lady's are getting ducks as well.
I decided that it was not worth the hassle to get a drake. You have to worry about over breeding, feeding the drake different food when the ducks are laying. I don't have room for two duck yards in case I had to separate the drake so getting a drake was out of the picture. If I want more ducks later I'll just order more or find someone who is selling fertilized eggs and let my WH hatch them out.

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I have been second guessing the choice of getting a drake since I sent my order off to a local guy yesterday. I can ask to change it still but I am sure this guy is going to think I am nuts if i email him again. I think I am up to 10 emails to order 4 ducklings. I wonder if I am being overly concerned or not but like you I do not have the space to be separating them.

jconnon said:

I have been second guessing the choice of getting a drake since I sent my order off to a local guy yesterday. I can ask to change it still but I am sure this guy is going to think I am nuts if i email him again. I think I am up to 10 emails to order 4 ducklings. I wonder if I am being overly concerned or not but like you I do not have the space to be separating them.

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It's your decision, but personally, I think you will be alright with your 3:1 ratio. Having lots of room will help because it gives the ducks room to escape and gives the drake something to occupy his mind other than breeding. My WH male is my most gentle and docile of my drakes. I rarely see him asset dominance, and I dont think I've ever even seen him breed. I'm sure if I didn't have other drakes, he would breed more often. But having only one drake eliminates the competitive need to breed. A single drake will breed at his leisure, usually less often than a drake kept with other drakes who feels the need to show dominance. It depends on the drake too; each is different with their own personality. He could be laid back like mine or really randy and overzealous with the breeding. Unfortunately it's kind of a crap shoot. But I think you've got the right conditions to have a potentially peaceful flock. It's your decision, and if it really worries you, get all girls. They're great too just do what's best for you and your peace of mind.

Here's my gentle giant, Tater. He's my favorite drake and seems to be fine with his beta position in the pecking order.


My pretty little WH girl, Jeepers. I think she's thr prettiest of all my ducks.


They were raised with several other ducks, but they like to pal around together. Which is just fine with me. They make a sharp-looking pair.

PotatoWaffles said:

It's your decision, but personally, I think you will be alright with your 3:1 ratio. Having lots of room will help because it gives the ducks room to escape and gives the drake something to occupy his mind other than breeding. My WH male is my most gentle and docile of my drakes. I rarely see him asset dominance, and I dont think I've ever even seen him breed. I'm sure if I didn't have other drakes, he would breed more often. But having only one drake eliminates the competitive need to breed. A single drake will breed at his leisure, usually less often than a drake kept with other drakes who feels the need to show dominance. It depends on the drake too; each is different with their own personality. He could be laid back like mine or really randy and overzealous with the breeding. Unfortunately it's kind of a crap shoot. But I think you've got the right conditions to have a potentially peaceful flock. It's your decision, and if it really worries you, get all girls. They're great too

just do what's best for you and your peace of mind.

Here's my gentle giant, Tater. He's my favorite drake and seems to be fine with his beta position in the pecking order.


My pretty little WH girl, Jeepers. I think she's thr prettiest of all my ducks.


They were raised with several other ducks, but they like to pal around together. Which is just fine with me. They make a sharp-looking pair.

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Thank you, that eases my mind quite a bit actually. Very pretty ducks.

I think the issue with my drake is that he's totally inept as far as mating goes, so he takes way too long to get it over with. It's fine when they're at the stage where the drake waits for the girls to "present" themselves for sexy times, but during breeding season when he's just running them down, it only took a couple of weeks before he hurt their necks. As PotatoWaffles said it just depends on the drake. They're not consistent across breed, obviously. 3-1 should be fine, and if not, it's not that difficult to separate them during spring and summer. They all get to be in their house and large pen so they can see each other and flirt with each other, but they're separated by wire fencing partitions. They get into a routine, so my drake knows he has to go off on his own in the morning and doesn't put up a fuss about it. He has worn a groove along the fence line pacing back and forth trying to get at the girls, though. And the pay off for bothering to keep him around (besides his beauty): I hatched 5 ducklings this spring!

neetabeamie said:

I have read that you need to have at least 3 ducks to one drake. The preferred is 5 to one.
I was also having a hard time deciding.
I am getting 4 female ducks from metzerfarms. Two Welsh, one Cayuga and one white layer. Manly for pets but with the huge benefit of eggs. ( chicken eggs make me sick) I couldn't afford the shipping so I started a Co -op and three other lady's are getting ducks as well.
I decided that it was not worth the hassle to get a drake. You have to worry about over breeding, feeding the drake different food when the ducks are laying. I don't have room for two duck yards in case I had to separate the drake so getting a drake was out of the picture. If I want more ducks later I'll just order more or find someone who is selling fertilized eggs and let my WH hatch them out.

Click to expand...

I had the exact same concerns and someone on here told me I only had to put out crushed oyster shell free choice and the ducks will eat what she needs. After more research, I'm pretty sure you only need the layer feed if you plan to hatch the eggs because you'd want the eggs to be nice and tough and nutrient rich to protect the developing duckling.