Help please! Drakes first mating season - fighting and seperation

[Miss Lydia]

You might want to add another piece of fencing over the chicken wire if possible so they can’t get to each other. I agree with @Jenbirdee you are doing great with your drakes not many would go to the work you’ve done.

 

[biscotti]

you are doing a great job! not everyone wants to work so hard to care for drakes. But after this crazy hormonal time is over, they will be your wonderful boys again <3

Thank you. This comment really made me feel a little better... I hope they go back to their normal soon. I love my boys so much, it's tough seeing them act out like this for the first time... I'm sure I'll be able to handle it better once we get a new routine going. It'd be easier if the weather wasn't so unpredictable. It's going going to be +10 tomorrow with storms, and -10 (c) that night. They really picked the perfect time to cause a fuss haha

 

[biscotti]

You might want to add another piece of fencing over the chicken wire if possible so they can’t get to each other. I agree with @Jenbirdee you are doing great with your drakes not many would go to the work you’ve done.

That's on my list once I get the bigger things sorted! To try and avoid that problem in the meantime, I switched up the rooming arrangements tonight; I put the 2 buddies that pick fights with the big duck in the enclosed part of the coop, and so far it looks like the big duck and the more submissive duck in the split fenced area aren't getting as rowdy like the others were last night. Crossing my fingers this arrangement can work better and be a little more stable for everyone.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for updating , it seems to always be a work in progress.

 

[biscotti]

Last update for a bit (hopefully )

Now that the sudden cold snap has passed, they're out in the sunshine enjoying the warm weather and having baths in their jail partitions (lol)

The two I'm keeping together still squabble every so often, but they're not hurting each other very badly and I can tell they enjoy being together regardless. So they're staying together for now and I'm keeping their set up as is and not bringing the rest back together for a while to make sure things stay calmer. We have a system for going in and out of the coop now, and the foldable dog pen I have inside has worked really well to direct them into their little sections for night time.

I'm a lot less anxious about them now, and hopeful that things will work out well for them! I'm sure there will be some unpredictable upsets, but its nicer knowing I have a solid system in place to avoid that the best I can.

Here's a silly photo of the biggest boy being unbothered and having a good preen with the two bully buddies in the background.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Last update for a bit (hopefully )

Now that the sudden cold snap has passed, they're out in the sunshine enjoying the warm weather and having baths in their jail partitions (lol)

The two I'm keeping together still squabble every so often, but they're not hurting each other very badly and I can tell they enjoy being together regardless. So they're staying together for now and I'm keeping their set up as is and not bringing the rest back together for a while to make sure things stay calmer. We have a system for going in and out of the coop now, and the foldable dog pen I have inside has worked really well to direct them into their little sections for night time.

I'm a lot less anxious about them now, and hopeful that things will work out well for them! I'm sure there will be some unpredictable upsets, but its nicer knowing I have a solid system in place to avoid that the best I can.

Here's a silly photo of the biggest boy being unbothered and having a good preen with the two bully buddies in the background.

YaaaaY ! thanks for sharing! i love good news

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is a great set up and hopefully, it will continue to work for them. I still have 2 Runner Drake brothers separated by dog pen fencing they are so bonded I have never seen them go at each other but they can't be trusted with the females because they work togehter.