7 month old ducks trying to mate with 7 month old chick???

[gladimsaved]

Hey, just wanted to share my past experience with chickens and ducks as we kept them in the same pen. I was unaware up until today that Drakes have penises.
It sounds like you don't have a man in charge in your hen house or he would spur the snot out of the drakes.
I kept buff orphingtons at the time and had three roos who would gang up on the ducks. One, particularly wiry and fiery Orphington, Popcorn (bless him) would "ride" the ducks around the pen. He would grab the neck feathers and stick his feet into their backs and ride them around the pen until he came off with a beakful of feathers. Any duck that stole food from, or bullied any of the hens gave Popcorn a ride. Fergusson, our larger rooster, had the flog them away approach and would back up Popcorn anytime a hen was even looked at wrong.
When they free ranged, the ducks would head to the creek and the chickens would take to another part of the property.
I'm sorry to hear that one hen in particular is being bullied, but ducks are pretty tough creatures. I would favor the hen and try to keep her as safe as possible. If you can't have roosters to protect the hens while free-ranging, you may want to try penning up the ducks instead of free ranging them.

Even though ducks may be smaller than some chicken breeds, they are certainly heavier and meaner! Otherwise, more likely to harm your hens than your chickens are to hard them- from my experience.
I hope you get it sorted out!

Thank you so much for replying. We have 2 roosters, a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock, but they don't bother the duck when he's being a bully. I'm thinking we should just get rid of the Pekin? However, that'd leave only 1 duck left, and it is a girl. Will she be ok with just the chicks?? She's very mellow. I don't know what breed she is, but she has a big 'poof of hair' on top of her head. If I keep just her, do I put her in the coop with the chicks at night? We always did that until the temps stayed around 70 at night, then we just let them sleep in the run.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Female ducks can live with chickens......but she will be much happier if you get her some gal pals.

If you post a pic of her folks can and will help identify her breed.

 

[gladimsaved]

Me?

That was my pretty Easter Egger. Her name was Grandma.

If it were my flock I would build a second enclosure for the ducks. I would alternate who is out. Say Monday is chickens and Tuesday is ducks and so on.
That or get rid of drakes keeping only one with no less then 5 females.

Now then you do still have to many roosters and your hens will still be over mated. The recommended ratio is 10 hens to 1 roo.


Time to get more girlies!!!! (Encouraging chicken math is a hobby of mine)

Thanks so much for answering for me!!!! I must have an Easter Egger then!!! Her name is Nelly and she is the sweetest of them all!!! I'm confused by some that I have, as I got them all at the same time, and they were ALL 'females'...ducks and chicks. We got 3 ducks and 6 chicks. We ended up with 2 drakes and 2 roosters. :-( Only one 'sings the rooster song' and it's only once in a while, not in the a.m!!!LOL) If I knew how to send a picture or put it on here I would. I'm not too computer savvy.

We truly think they all think they are chicks. Apparently I'm not too chick and duck savvy either. :-(

 

[21hens-incharge]

It is all a learning thing. If we stop finding things to learn about then well poo what's the point.

I am figuring out the picture thing still. We got a new format here on BYC and things are much different.
If I had it down I could tell you how. I don't though.

If you do a search for how to post pictures there is a thread and videos too. I need to read it again myself.