Are all drakes aggressive to ducklings? and other questions

[sandcat]

Would a drake take an egg from a nest and toss it into the pond?(I found an egg just opened and a duckling in the bottom of pond a week ago) from a post i did this morning i have had some helpful advive that my drake is attacking my ducklings, do all drakes attack babies? my drake doesnt like being on his own but i cant have him around the ducklings when they are born,tough luck i say!! are 12 week old ducklings able to fend off a drake that may try to attack it? I really want to do the right thing, i have sectioned off an area and have 1 duck to catch and i will keep them there until babies are all born and old enough to roam a bit more and that will keep the drake away from them, im just worried he will fly over their fence, hes a real bugger for flying, my girls dont fly at all but he flys for the convenience!! headache now, so worried about future duckys.

 

[desertdarlene]

In the wild, most drakes ignore ducklings and might accidentally hurt them when they try to mate with the mama when she first takes the ducklings out after hatching. But, they don't seem to care about the babies at all.

That's really strange that a drake will toss an egg into a pond like that. Never heard of that happening.

I think, to be on the safe side, that you should separate the ducklings from the drake if he's got those kinds of issues, especially try to keep him from flying into the ducklings' pen. I think the 12 week olds might be OK, but you might want to observe how he is with them. It might be better to keep them separated when you can't watch them together. I feel sorry for some adolescent ducklings because they're on the bottom of the rung socially and get pecked at a lot by everyone. One duckling I know is not eating enough because everyone pecks at him!

 

[sandcat]

Im not entirly sure if the drake did get rid of an egg, another member said that he might have killed the duckling and i wondered if he had done that to the egg as the duckling was hatching.

 

[desertdarlene]

Quote:
It's possible, but kinda weird. I would still keep him away from the broody and her eggs/babies if there's any suspicion. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Is this a muscovy?

I have several muscovy ducks free ranging. Despite many warnings that muscovies are aggressive and randy breeders, mine have NOT been. I rarely see them breeding, actually. But, they must be because I get a LOT of ducklings every season.

My hens often leave the ducklings in my drake's care while they're bathing or eating, even. He fusses over them so sweetly.

 

[Horsefly]

A few years ago we had a group of pond ducks, they were mallard mixes. The drakes would grab the ducklings and try and drown them. We couldn't seperate them so it was survival of the fittest (unfortunately not many between the hawks, turtles, fish, and drakes). We didn't know much about ducks back then as they were living on the pond when we moved in. So I think some drakes are mean, maybe trying to eliminate future competition? I would keep your drake separate until the ducklings are close to his size.

 

[sandcat]

They are mallard/mixes i think. I have fenced off the area around the nest as i didnt want to move the nests, the drake cant get in and there is a small tray of water for them, when ducklings are born and get older i will let them all out and about again.

 

[cat1994]

Quote:
My drake tossed all but two eggs from his hens nest of six in to the pond befor I put him in a dif pen and he still managed to kill one of the ducklings through the wire. I was so sad and so mad. So I sold him and got a nice drake that does not do that.

 

[sandcat]

I thought my drake was a nice guy but i dont think he is anymore, he calls non stop to the ducks and one of them always goes to him while the other duck sits on her eggs like a good mummy. grrr it makes me mad to think that he has killed poor wee ducklings, i have made sure he cant get near the nest or near the ducklings when they born. I want to get rid of him but worry my ducks will take off to find a male as he is the only drake i have