Aggressive Drake?

[1stepcloser]

My duck is getting aggressive. He "attacks" my son by frantically nibbling at his pant legs. Poor guy, we just crack up at him and kick him away. I will say he chased my son (he's 12) across the yard today flapping his wings the whole way. Again, we just cracked up but I don't want bad habits to form. So my question is: is that duck attacking behavior? Do we treat him like a roo who would pull the same stunt? He doesn't pull that crap with me. The minute he gets even slightly snippy I pick him up and hold him to show him who's the boss. Is that even the right thing to do?

Sorry for the dumb questions. I have never been around ducks before and adopting one has given me a very steep learning curve. LOL I tried to go back into the archives on this topic and found a follow up post where the OP mentioned it was normal? Does that sound right? Ugh...lost.

 

[1stepcloser]

Not bumping...just uh, visiting my own post.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

It's normal in the sense that that behavior is fairly common in drakes, most of them don't act like that that but there still are a lot that do.
I think you are right about treating him like an aggressive roo. Although I'm not too sure you will ever actually get through to him that way, it's worth a try. He may be psyched out if there are no females in his life, or any other ducks at all for that matter. But I wouldn't absolutely promise getting more ducks would cure his behavior.
Hope that helps a little. I think it's been a slow weekend on the duck forum, maybe you will get more responses soon.

 

[1stepcloser]

Thank you for responding....

As a recent adopted member of our family, I think you nailed the psyched out part. Far as I can tell, he has NEVER been around other birds period. Not chickens, not other ducks, nothing. Muscovies are supposably great at catching flies and eating slugs? Not this guy...he has no clue that is supposed to be food. I am not even sure if HE understands he is a duck.

 

[rainplace]

I got three runners that seemed to take a while to forage "correctly." Give it time.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Oh a Muscovy! I hear the drakes can be intimidating. How old is he ??

 

[1stepcloser]

I have no idea...I am GUESSING about a year old simply because others have commented on here he looks young. Also, the neighbors didn't want him anymore. I am ASSuming it is because he was no longer a cute duckling...sort of like the hens I adopted. They grew up and all of a sudden were work instead of cute, fuzzy pets.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

He is probably seeing your son as a love interest, especially if he's never been around other birds. He may do more of this as he gets more hormones. How does he behave around the chickens?

 

[1stepcloser]

He runs from them. LOL...they push him around.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Oh that's good, at least you don't have to worry about the chickens. What about getting him a couple of girlfriends?