9wk old ducks; okay to mate?

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Ok here is the situation.

3 9wk old ducklings (maybe all female).
1 yr old Drake
1 yr old hen

The 9wk olds are full size. We have been keeping the Drake locked up in a dog kennel so that he won’t mate the younger ones. But we can’t keep him locked up all the time and we do NOT have the space to keep them separated as all our pens are full w diff age chicks, geese and more ducklings.

Is there a true harm to the ducklings if he mates them at this age?

My thoughts are that if in the wilds they would be mated at this point by a Drake; they don’t have humans stepping in to save them there. Lol
As it stands currently we are constantly having to run into the pen to stop him when we do allow him out, and we have too much on our plate to keep this up.

Suggestions/advice.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I am in a similar situation, except I also have a drake in the ducklings.

I am able to timeshare the outside space, morning is momma & poppa, then afternoon is momma and babies. The ducklings are in the enclosure mornings and poppa afternoon.

I let them cross paths today (born March 3, today is April 18) and the drake (Poppa) attacked the duckling drake. He tried to pull feathers off the back of the neck. I separated them as quickly as possible.

I understand your logic of "too much" human intervention, but I am not sure ducks in nature mate as continuously as domestic ducks, I know they don't lay eggs as often.

Please update with anything you learn... I am in the same boat ... Would love to know what to do... I am wondering how and when to integrate

 

[Miss Lydia]

9week old ducklings are too young to be mating they need to be close to laying age which is 4 months on. Their reproductive track isn't mature enough for mating. A large dog crate can work for separation if that is all you can do.

 

[Isadora]

Unfortunately it is more of a concern than ducks in the wild, one reason being they're confined in one area which gives a drake practically unlimited opportunities to mate than a drake would ever have in the wild.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Unfortunately it is more of a concern than ducks in the wild, one reason being they're confined in one area which gives a drake practically unlimited opportunities to mate than a drake would ever have in the wild.

And we have no idea how many young females get raped and killed because of so many drakes getting on her at once. But we can control it.

 

[BelovedBirds]

And we have no idea how many young females get raped and killed because of so many drakes getting on her at once. But we can control it.

Exactly, very few ducklings survive to adulthood. At least where I live. Much happens "naturally" that we need to prevent with our animals in captivity.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Unfortunately it is more of a concern than ducks in the wild, one reason being they're confined in one area which gives a drake practically unlimited opportunities to mate than a drake would ever have in the wild.

That makes a lot of sense.
Didn't really think of the fenced in area.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Exactly, very few ducklings survive to adulthood. At least where I live. Much happens "naturally" that we need to prevent with our animals in captivity.

I'm a mix of both. Let nature take it's course to an extent.
But in this case where it could mean them injured, no we will step in. NOW if they were old enough, then oh well, they'd just have to tolerate & suck it up till they learned the pecking order, so to speak. lol

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I'm a mix of both. Let nature take it's course to an extent.
But in this case where it could mean them injured, no we will step in. NOW if they were old enough, then oh well, they'd just have to tolerate & suck it up till they learned the pecking order, so to speak. lol

You still need to separate out females that are over mated otherwise they get injured and can die from it.

 

[Luv Ducks]

My neighbor works where there is a large pond in front of the business where he is at. He spends his lunch hour watching the ducks while he eats. He told me it makes him sick how many Hens he sees die on the pond as 2 and 3 drakes are all getting on top of her at the same time and drown her. I notice in our area I see so many drakes and so few hens. This is why. Drakes can be awful to the Hens during mating season. We do have to protect them if we are responsible flock owners.