3 drakes to 3 hens!

[Horse Life]

Ok I will definitely say how it went/is going once they're old enough

 

[Horse Life]

Honestly breeding season is the only time I'm concerned they might try to be too much, but again, it would only be the 2 males

 

[Horse Life]

If I have an only-drake flock, will it be easier to add more drakes than if there were females inolved?

 

[davez]

Yes. More drakes will get along. When a female enters the picture, the drakes lose their minds. They get competitive. If you are just looking for pets, all drakes is a great way to go.

 

[BelovedBirds]

So I have 3 drakes, (one Pekin, Black Swedish, and a Khaki Campell) and I recently bought 3 females (2 white crested, and a buff) I plan to put them with the males when they get big enough. I know you're supposed to have 3 females to every drake, but my boys grew up together, and are very bonded with each other, so I don't think they would get really aggressive with each other. Also, my pekin can't walk or do much really well, so I don't think he'll even be able to get on the girls. Any advice? Could I pull it off? My boys really aren't aggressive, and like I said, I'm not even counting the pekin

Firstly, hormones are rough, it doesn't matter how bonded they seem to be now, they may still fall out when the seasons change and there are hens available.
Secondly, the main point to the 3 per drake rule is to protect the hens, not the boys. Drakes are very hard on their hens (most of the time), and over mating them can cause significant stress and injury to the point where it could easily turn fatal. (For example, them being over excited over a specific hen, tiring and drowning her).

There are cases where you can break the ratio and some manage to but they are generally the exceptions. It's far far safer to have more hens. In the event where you're slightly off ratio, I'd reccomend monitoring closely and perhaps separating them for the warmer seasons. In the winter the hormones cool off a bit and they may manage fine.

That's just my two cents ofc. I don't keep drakes, but if I were going to I don't think I'd have less than 3 hens per drake for larger breeds like pekins, and certainly not a 50/50 ratio.

I also noticed you mentioned two hens being crested, and want to point out that the crest is a bred deformity (a hole in the back of skull) this could mean that their brain is less protected and they are more susceptible to head injury. Imagine a drake grabbing that fluff and jabbing the back of their head- it's way more risky.

 

[Horse Life]

Yes I realized that after I got them. I didn't know they had that deformity. Very sad what people do to animals nowadays I will monitor them closely, and if need be, separate them. What I may do is if they get out of hand, build them separate cages, or just get more drakes and give the females to someone else

 

[Horse Life]

I will definitely monitor them when they go outside, and I'll give an update

 

[Horse Life]

So one of the ducklings I got I have no idea what she is: I think she may be a buff, but she also looks like she could be a runner or a welsh harlequin...anyone know?? I'll get a better picture of her but she doesn't look like a pekin, she's kind of dark yellow with a really dark beak

 

[Horse Life]

She's the one in the back without the ball on her head. I had a pekin and he looked different