Separating males and females

[citymeetscountry]

I’m wondering if I separate males and females before they get to mating age if the males will do fine.

So we got 6 ducks last year and ended up 50/50, we lost 2 to predators but we’re still 2 males and 2 females. They did alright last year because they were young but obviously it’s not a good ratio and this year they have been harder on the females. I decided to hatch out some babies and it looks like we have 3 males and 1 female from their young. We have the adults separated but the males just sit all day and stare at the females/wait for their chance to get with them. If I let the females free range they could care less (but as I said the boys just sit and stare). The adult drakes are being “rehomed” tomorrow since they are just too big, we have too many males, and they keep coming after me. I’m wondering if I go ahead and separate the younger ones (at least 2 of the 3 males) into the garden (it shares a fence with the duck run) if they would still forage and be happy or if they would have to be completely separated and not able to see the females even. Just trying to figure out how to keep as many of our ducks as possible because as much as I know it’s the right choice it’s hard to say goodbye (esp when they’re going to end up as someone’s dinner).

 

[DukesDucks]

Hopefully others will share their experience. I think if you only have 3 females, you should only keep one drake. I have to separate my flock of 10 into 2 groups (1 drake with 4 females) for 6 months of the year. When I let one group out to free range, the drake would spend the entire time pacing along the other run. How would you keep the 2 drakes in the garden area safe from predators?
One of my drakes used to be aggressive towards me but no longer. You mentioned your males kept coming after you. Even with one drake, you need to do some reading on how to prevent aggression from him.

 

[citymeetscountry]

Thanks @DukesDucks as far as the garden area, it’s the same as their run (the garden is 1500sqft fenced in and the run has anoth fenced area within that) there are 2 houses for overnight-one in the run and a new A frame in the garden that our adult pekin drakes have been in. The “aggression” has been a newer thing for the drakes (and it’s primarily from the one who is rougher on the hens). I have done the pin down and hold until they give up and it seems to have calmed him. I guess I was just hoping I could keep the 3 females together and the 3 males together (or 3 females and 1 male together and then a “smaller” 2 drake flock). Maybe we’ll do like this year and see how it goes and then worry about rehoming next mating season. Or maybe this time I’ll be able to successfully rehome a drake to someone who actually wants one as a pet. (Since I incubated/hatched the new ducks it’s just harder to let them go ) I told my husband it would have been easier to rehome the 3 girls and just keep the rest/all drakes