Amorous Drake

[MWAV]

I was given a duck and a drake khaki campbell (brother and sister) as a gift when they were 4-5 weeks old - they are now about 4 1/2 months old. In the last week or so they have started mating (or trying to). The duck is a lot smaller than the drake and she is already starting to look 'crumpled'.

I understand that the ideal ratio is 2 ducks to 1 drake, but I understand from this and other sites that it is not always necessary. I do not have the space for a third bird.

I have the option of giving the drake to a family that have several ducks and are looking for a drake. They could also take my duck.

Please could you advise me whether
a) I am being over concerned with regards to the drake's apparent squashing of the duck and it should be ok for me to keep them both, (is 4-5 times a day, including treading all over the duck's back and neck normal?), or
b) would it be ok to re-home only the drake and replace him with a second female, or
c) will they have 'bonded' and should I therefore re-home them together? (and replace them with two new ducks).

Thank you.

 

[Kevin565]

I was given a duck and a drake khaki campbell (brother and sister) as a gift when they were 4-5 weeks old - they are now about 4 1/2 months old. In the last week or so they have started mating (or trying to). The duck is a lot smaller than the drake and she is already starting to look 'crumpled'.

I understand that the ideal ratio is 2 ducks to 1 drake, but I understand from this and other sites that it is not always necessary. I do not have the space for a third bird.

I have the option of giving the drake to a family that have several ducks and are looking for a drake. They could also take my duck.

Please could you advise me whether
a) I am being over concerned with regards to the drake's apparent squashing of the duck and it should be ok for me to keep them both, (is 4-5 times a day, including treading all over the duck's back and neck normal?), or
b) would it be ok to re-home only the drake and replace him with a second female, or
c) will they have 'bonded' and should I therefore re-home them together? (and replace them with two new ducks).

Thank you.

. If he's already breeding her 4 to 5 times a day and he's much larger unless you can have another female I'd go ahead and find him a new home.

2. Yes you can just rehome him if you'd like

3. She'll most likely be said but if you find her a new gal pal she'll be fine.

 

[sourland]

. If he's already breeding her 4 to 5 times a day and he's much larger unless you can have another female I'd go ahead and find him a new home.

2. Yes you can just rehome him if you'd like

3. She'll most likely be said but if you find her a new gal pal she'll be fine.

What Kevin said!

 

[newbyduckmom]

Ditto the above to responses. Your duck will thank you for it!

 

[jdywntr]

I agree with the other advice but just a word of caution.

While your duck may be relieved in a sense if you rehome the drake, she will also be seperated from another duck that she has bonded with. Getting another duck to replace the drake is a great idea but that does not mean that the transition will go well. Your duck may or may not accept another duck or vice versa.

Also, you say the duck is looking "crumpled" is she missing feathers? Bloody? Etc?

Duck mating can appear very rough. I used to be very concerned about my muscovy drake trodding back and forth on my hen who was about half the size. She never appeared to be distressed. I had ducks that were overbred in the past due to a bad ratio. They had feathers missing from their necks, occasionally bloody.

If you duck is not exhibiting these signs you may want to wait. Your drake may be, as a younster, just figuring things out and taking a bit longer so he appears to be severe with the hen.

I am not trying to add to your worries just want to add a potential problem. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[MWAV]

Thank you all for your replies, it is greatly appreciated.

My main concern is that I am over reacting to something that may be quite normal and that I might therefore unnecessarily separate two ducks that will be very unhappy to be split up. The duck does not seem at all scared of the drake and she does not have any blood or broken feathers...just rather ruffled looking.

However, the drake tried to mate with her this morning whilst she was in the bath and trod on her neck as she had her head poked over the side of the bath..thus squashing her neck onto the edge of the bath...I quickly removed the bath so that this particular thing couldn't happen again whilst I was at work.

Jdywntr - you suggest waiting...is it likely that the drake will be less boisterous once he is more 'efficient'?

 

[jdywntr]

If it were me, I would wait. Removing the pool was probably a good idea. You can also try to give her something to perch on that will not accomodate both of them. This could be stacked milk crates, cinder blocks etc. My hen would do that occasionally in order to get away from the drake. I don't think that 4-5 times a day is excessive for ducks. Just keep an eye out and make sure that she is not being hurt. It is possible for drakes to kill ducks, usually by drowning during mating. I think that since many of us don't have the option of a natural pond that kiddie pools don't allow for easy escape.
You can allow them each individual access to the pool too. Let the duck or drake out for some swim time keeping the other contained then switch them.

 

[newbyduckmom]

One of my ducks frequents a rock in the duck run that only has room for one. I let them out in the run, and she runs for the rock. She has this all figured out!