Advice needed about surviving ducks

[Dbinn]

I got 4 ducks a year ago. 1 drake Pekin, one female Pekin and 2 Cayuga females. My drake passed away a couple days ago. The 2 Cayugas are now picking on the Pekin female. Are they just establishing pecking order since the drake isn’t there to protect her anymore? Will this behavior stop? I’m not sure how to handle this situation. Advice please…

 

[SilverBirds]

Sorry about your loss. It most likely is. Was the pekin the favorite? How long and how far have they been bullying her? If they are getting to the point where blood is drawn remove her immediately.

 

[Dbinn]

The drake (Donnie) and the Pekin female always laid together. I feel like he protected her. He just passed on Friday. Today (Sunday) when I put them in the coop for the night is the 1st time I have seen this behavior. They have not drawn any blood. They just chased her around and pecked at her a little bit.
My heart is so broken from losing Donnie and this is the 1st time I have dealt with this kind of situatio.

 

[SilverBirds]

Do you know what he passed of? I think it's mostly because she was the favorite and now their trying to rise above her. They should stop within a few days. Just make sure they are still allowing her food and water.

 

[Dbinn]

Yes, he was a jumbo Pekin and had leg problems starting when he reached full size. He was on antibiotics for osteomyelitis and got better over the winter. When the weather started getting warm he was chasing the girls and then his leg got bad again. I took him to the vet way too many times to count. I ordered leg braces for him, did epsom salt soaks, tried more antibiotics and holistic treatments as well. Friday morning his leg broke. I took him to the vet immediately and we found out he was septic. We had to make the most difficult choice ever to put him down since he could no longer walk and we didn’t want him to suffer.

 

[SilverBirds]

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Definitely made the right choice though. Hopefully you're other three will adjust soon and their won't be any other major problems.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Yes, he was a jumbo Pekin and had leg problems starting when he reached full size. He was on antibiotics for osteomyelitis and got better over the winter. When the weather started getting warm he was chasing the girls and then his leg got bad again. I took him to the vet way too many times to count. I ordered leg braces for him, did epsom salt soaks, tried more antibiotics and holistic treatments as well. Friday morning his leg broke. I took him to the vet immediately and we found out he was septic. We had to make the most difficult choice ever to put him down since he could no longer walk and we didn’t want him to suffer.

Oh that’s heartbreaking! He was a lucky drake to have you taking care of him.

 

[ruthhope]

If there is room, you might keep your bullied pekin in a dog crate in the coop at night with her own food and water, and let all your ducks mix when outside of the coop during the day. I currently have two pekins sleeping in separate dog crates because my muscovies are mean to them in the coop at night. They sort out their differences during the day when the pekins can stay away from the muscovies, if they want to. When I first separated a bullied pekin, I had him sleeping in the dog crate in my house at night. He couldn't get out and back to the other ducks fast enough in the morning. He has really settled down and is much happier now that he is sleeping with his pals -- he loves them even if they are meanie to him in the coop.