Any "duck behaviorists" in the house?

[casportpony]

It's no surprise by now I've got two awesome lil' indoor call ducks who don't exactly get along. I know why. Wobbles didn't see another duck until he was two, and in his head, this is HIS territory. Bean was imprinted on other ducks but is bonded very closely to me, but she still knows she's a duck. She's scared of Wobbles, but clearly wants to get closer to him, since she keeps testing his patience by crossing the boundaries she knows are there, LOL! She's stood her ground a couple times but when Wobs' head goes down, she books it squawking all the way! Cheeky lil' coward.

Now, I keep being told that next year when Bean goes into breeding mode they'll probably bond together no problem. Obviously I'd never let him hurt her, but I reprimand him when he starts to chase her in an effort to protect Bean from any kind of harassment, but my question is: Should I be?

I know ducks have a sort of pecking order, and I guess I wonder if I'm impeding the process by always acting like a warden of sorts. Should I let them have their minor squabbles for the sake of long-term peace, or am I doing the right thing by stepping in at the first sign of trouble?

How do they behave on neutral territory when you aren't next to them?

-Kathy

 

[Amykins]

How do they behave on neutral territory when you aren't next to them?

-Kathy

Pretty much same as when I'm not there, anywhere from mutual tolerance to complete and utter pandemonium.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I bet it is Amykins . I cannot imagine but having a huge Muscovy drake and one of his girls in here would be a bit much. l don't let my drake injure any of my girls and I monitor how much of their feathers are missing around their necks thankfully none have ever been plucked down to bare skin, [Wish I could say the same for my goose] and she keeps getting right back in the pool crazy thing. I don't interfere with normal duck drake behavior though like Opie standing on them I have seen this for 11 yrs and so far no one has been injured. I have never had a drake get a female down and just attack to attack though either. But I have stepped in when he got a little too carried away when a broody came outside for some R&R.
So anyway I think you'll just have to keep trying and as Bean matures and Wobbles gets use to her being there for good. Things hopefully will settle down some. and Peace will reign in the household. Can't wait to see them side by side enjoying each others company.

Update~ after going to extreme to say my drake doesn't over act around my females[his] well yesterday Opie proved me to be wrong, one of the broody's came out of her House acting all crazy[anyone having a broody knows what I'm talking about] well Opie started chasing her grabbed her and pulled out a mouth full of feathers. she was trying hard to run away too. then she jumped into the pool with him in hot pursuit which caused her to do her broody poop in the pool

I got him off of her and back he went again so off to goose fencing he went and spent some time with the geese. Finally Suzie went back inside so i let him out but when i went to put them to bed him and one of his girls are sharing space because I have another broody in their bedroom and she won't let her sister sleep in it well he started on Hope so I had to go in and remove him from that bedroom ended up letting him sleep on shavings inside on the floor. Now even though this is typical behavior for drakes he went too far with it and I had to step in. So far this morning all is quiet. {Big Sigh}

 

[LavrisChica]

It seems your flock is fairly high risk for someone getting seriously hurt or killed - not that any individual duck is bad, but the combination and numbers have me concerned.

The things we can do are separate, bring in additional females, and rehome.

I wondered. Sigh. Of course, by chicken/duck math. adding more females seems how my instinct is to solve the problem - yet, my venting skills aren't great. I'm assuming, by chicken behavior, that ducks would do the same to a newly added adult, yes?
I've pondered separation, just not quite sure how to accomplish that with my free range flock (except at night in the coop).
I am contemplating rehoming Ivan and Speck, since they are the aggressive ones.