Bad drakes!!

[GldnValleyHens]

My poor Jemima! She's being mutilated by the drakes! I came home to find this, and she's by far the worst although the other hens' heads are bare too. I'm gonna put neosporin on it, but my poor hens! Can I do anything to protect them aside from separating them? Like head covers made out of vet wrap, etc? I will take those drakes out for starters. @casportpony, @shawluvsbirds?

 

[casportpony]

Clean it really well, but I wouldn't put sort of wrap on it because it seems like that might be a good way for them to get caught on something and hang themselves. If they were mine I would move the drake into their own pen until the girls healed. Hope they heal fast.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I'm afraid there isn't much you can do that I know of besides lock them bad boys up. Or get more girls so there is more to go around. But even then sometimes they pick their favorites and leave the others alone.

 

[MillersFarm]

What types of ducks do you have and how many drakes & hens do you have? I'd separate the drakes from the hes Asap.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

What types of ducks do you have and how many drakes & hens do you have? I'd separate the drakes from the hes Asap.

Call ducks. The drakes are very......fruitful. There isn't a pool out besides their water dish, and they try to mate on land. It has never been this bad before. I guess now that spring is approaching love is in the air as nesting season begins.

 

[MillersFarm]

Call ducks. The drakes are very......fruitful. There isn't a pool out besides their water dish, and they try to mate on land. It has never been this bad before. I guess now that spring is approaching love is in the air as nesting season begins.

How many hens do you have for your drakes? You might want to keep them separate until breeding is over.. That is if you have the space and time.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

How many hens do you have for your drakes? You might want to keep them separate until breeding is over.. That is if you have the space and time.

3 hens. I used to have another but she was killed last fall. I have been wanting more very badly, but haven't been able to acquire them. I've been waiting for hatching/broody season to start so I can have more ducklings. I don't want to separate the drakes, because yeah it's a lot more work, but in order to protect the girls I guess I'll do it
Edited

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Adding a pool might make it a *little* bit easier on the girls. I hate seeing them being stomped to the ground by the drakes.
But sometimes water gets them more excited too so .. . .you would just have to see. It might provide more entertainment giving them something else to do besides mate. .
But I would for sure give the girls a chance to heal up first.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

The water definitely gets the males worked up, and starts the head bobbing and what I call pointing, when they lower their heads and swim like a torpdeo

 

[MillersFarm]

I'm still not sure how many drakes you have but it sounds like you have too many, I would suggest you either, Get rid of extra drakes, Get more hens, Or separate them..