Bad male duck

[dcullon]

I got three RI Red chickens during the fall, they came with a male pekin duck all raised together and around 9 months now. Problem is duck is starting to feel his oats with the chickens,even the the chickens we already had. So three days ago we got two female pekin ducks. He is still a little fearful of them. They follow and flirt with him all the time.
When will he mate with the ducks and hopfuly leave the chickens alone? Im worried about him hurting the chickens?
Debbie, Little Acre Farm

 

[Miss Lydia]

I got three RI Red chickens during the fall, they came with a male pekin duck all raised together and around 9 months now. Problem is duck is starting to feel his oats with the chickens,even the the chickens we already had. So three days ago we got two female pekin ducks. He is still a little fearful of them. They follow and flirt with him all the time.
When will he mate with the ducks and hopfuly leave the chickens alone? Im worried about him hurting the chickens?
Debbie, Little Acre Farm

He not only will hurt the chickens he will kill them ducks mate entirely different than chickens so chickens are not anatomically made to be mated by a duck. you need to separate the ducks and your drake will begin to see the new ducks as his mates. And

 

[jdywntr]

X2 with Miss Lydia.

He needs some time to get used to the ducks. You do need to seperate them though. Eventually, he may leave the chickens alone but it's not fair to them.

My drake doesn't bother the chickens, except to grab a tail feather when they get to the feed first but he has always had his 4 girls.

 

[dcullon]

I dont really have a place to seperate them. Im hoping he will get to like the ducks and leave chickens alone. If not then I will find him a new home. The females are trying to be with him, they follow him all over and talk to him. So Im hoping wont be long before he relizes he has a better time with them then the chickens.

 

[dcullon]

He hasnt tried to mount them.He just rubs his beak over their heads and back feathers, and a little grabby. The chickens just sit there like they do with a rooster.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I would not allow that for the safety of your chickens. Seperate off all of your ducks for awhile, maybe 2 weeks for adjustment, then you may no longer have issues. I think that it is commendable of you to get duck friends for your ducks!

I must add, your drake isn't "bad", he is just being a drake!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

This is how I got my first two ducks ... when the male reached maturity he started to fancy the head hen at his last home ... initiate emergency relocation plan ... now he lives here. My dear friend who raised him researched it and discovered it can end very badly for the female chicken. The bonus for me is the female of the pair started laying tons of delicious and fertile eggs soon after she arrived here. Now we have a few more ducks running around.

When chickens mate there is no penetration, but drakes have a little corkscrew organ they insert into the female. I'm not sure this is the cause of the problem, or if size/weight differences are the problem, or if mating practices are the problem (my ducks often mate in water, and for part of the time the drake holds the females' neck down so her head is under water) or if the drakes are too rough with their bills ...

I'd keep my eye on him to see if he actually does start to mount your female chickens and/or otherwise gets rough, and then separate him as soon as possible after that.

At my place the ducks (and turkeys, in season) free-range and the chickens are pastured.

I hope you can keep the ducks. I really love mine.