Best Options for Owning Multiple Ducks

[BayBay Peepers]

I currently have two ducks. One male, one female. I was wondering if I were to add to the flock what are the best ratios. Does anyone have an equal number of male versus female or do you know of a safe ratio? I'm not 100% convinced I want to add more, but if I do I want to make sure it's done the safest way possible. Any advice from the more experienced duck owners would be very much appreciated

 

[Miss Lydia]

I currently have two ducks. One male, one female. I was wondering if I were to add to the flock what are the best ratios. Does anyone have an equal number of male versus female or do you know of a safe ratio? I'm not 100% convinced I want to add more, but if I do I want to make sure it's done the safest way possible. Any advice from the more experienced duck owners would be very much appreciated

The best ratio is 3ducks per drake and more ducks if you can have more, but at least 3 has been the norm. I have lost 3 of my ducks in the last year to old age, and laying problems so 3 of my drakes now have 2 ducks each and so far it's working out okay, not what I'd like but since my housing is maxed out that's the way it has to be. One nice things about Muscovy drakes is they will not try to gang rape a duck. So I watch to make sure my girls aren't looking too rough and the boys are behaving themselves. Till I am able to add more ducks.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Ok thanks! Now, with the two that I have, they are inseparable. If I decide to add to their group do you think I'll upset the balance of things? They're just over a year and I've had them since day 1 (or 2) I guess if it's going to ruin their rainbows and sunshine lifestyle I'd wait until they passed on. Or would it be best to get some now just in case I lost one then the other wouldn't be depressed?

Thank you for your patience as I am very much so on the fence here.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok thanks! Now, with the two that I have, they are inseparable. If I decide to add to their group do you think I'll upset the balance of things? They're just over a year and I've had them since day 1 (or 2) I guess if it's going to ruin their rainbows and sunshine lifestyle I'd wait until they passed on. Or would it be best to get some now just in case I lost one then the other wouldn't be depressed?

Thank you for your patience as I am very much so on the fence here.

It would be best to add a few more ducks that way like you say if you lost the drake or even one of the ducks they would still have someone. It will take a while for the flock to get in harmony but it can happen if you go about integration slow and easy.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I'm more and more convinced by the minute here. Do you think it's too late in the season? I'm thinking maybe for time I should just hold off until spring. That way I have more time for a proper duck house. Not sure how I'll go about that one.

Do you have just a square room for your ducks or do you have separate areas for certain ducks? With having just two I've never really had to plan one out.

 

[EeyoreD]

I'm more and more convinced by the minute here. Do you think it's too late in the season? I'm thinking maybe for time I should just hold off until spring. That way I have more time for a proper duck house. Not sure how I'll go about that one.

Do you have just a square room for your ducks or do you have separate areas for certain ducks? With having just two I've never really had to plan one out.

Too late in the season for what? It looks like you're in Wisconsin, a hard winter makes birds huddle and bond when they wouldn't in the summer. You have two that like each other, I would get three (minimum) more at an age that they'll fully feather out by, say, october.

It allows the three+ to keep each other company and the winter (I'm in Michigan, I'm familiar) will allow the entire flock (the three+ plus the existing ones) to, if not bond at least commingle and be comfy with each other by spring. You may never end up with a cohesive flock but a winter will give them the best chance in my opinion. But I defer to Miss Lydia on this (and everything I say).

And if you can (and can have the right duck/drake ratio) try to have two drakes. I know from experience it's terrible for all involved to lose a drake. Ducks really want a drake around. If you lose one, you lose offspring but you also chance having a duck turn really mean trying to fill a drake's role. And a duck-turned-drake is meaner than a goose. They just try too hard.

One nice things about Muscovy drakes is they will not try to gang rape a duck.

I don't mean to contradict because you have many, many more times experience than me. And, by and large you're right. I love scovy drakes. But I had one that was just awful. Really terrible!

It would hump anything (chicken, young goose, runner, scovy, ANYTHING whether they wanted it or not). And still go after it when I pushed ("pushed") it away. It would rape a raspberry bush, thorns and all. He was terrible!

But out of five, he was the only one I called Genghis.

The other four were just great and exactly as you say.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I was thinking of adding four at first. One drake and three ducks to meet the 1:3 ratio. Then if all goes well maybe down the line I'll add another six or less. Good point on the huddling in winter. I always psych myself out when it comes to bring in newbies too close to winter. But as you said that's what huddling is for

Now to put this whole thing in motion.

Edit for: Total math melt down. It took me days to realize I did this. Correction I would need five more ducks and a drake to meet a 1:3 ratio. My bad haha

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm more and more convinced by the minute here. Do you think it's too late in the season? I'm thinking maybe for time I should just hold off until spring. That way I have more time for a proper duck house. Not sure how I'll go about that one.

Do you have just a square room for your ducks or do you have separate areas for certain ducks? With having just two I've never really had to plan one out.

According to Dave Holderread s book Raising ducks inside your duck house should be 2-6 sq ' depending on size and temperament When we built out duck house we built stalls so I could house my drakes separately. They would never live together under 1 roof other wise. The larger you can build the better. It maybe best to wait so you can plan how you want to house them and get it done. Like Eeyore says ducks do seem to like a leader so if you decide to get another drake you want to have a plan in place just in case the 2 drakes don't see eye to eye. I have 3 separate houses, first one has 2 drakes and their girls all in stalls, 1 drake does sleep with one of his girls but the other one has his own room. In my next house I have 1 drake and 2 of his girls they are in a stall also that was my gooses stall till we built them their own house, Now I have 1 drake and 2 of his girls in my old chicken coop which use to be my broody/hatching house till duck math got me. [I need a barn] lol You have to take into consideration you may get a broody and do you want her to sit and hatch ducklings she need her own space for a while. which can easily be done right in the existing house as long as you plan for the space. Not trying to scare you off just alot to think about. I do think what ever you decide as far as going with another drake and some ducks or just more ducks you should do one or the other so your 2 you have now would never be left alone if something ever did happen. I sure hope it wouldn't but they are flock animals and do much better if they have their won to live with.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Too late in the season for what? It looks like you're in Wisconsin, a hard winter makes birds huddle and bond when they wouldn't in the summer. You have two that like each other, I would get three (minimum) more at an age that they'll fully feather out by, say, october.

It allows the three+ to keep each other company and the winter (I'm in Michigan, I'm familiar) will allow the entire flock (the three+ plus the existing ones) to, if not bond at least commingle and be comfy with each other by spring. You may never end up with a cohesive flock but a winter will give them the best chance in my opinion. But I defer to Miss Lydia on this (and everything I say).

And if you can (and can have the right duck/drake ratio) try to have two drakes. I know from experience it's terrible for all involved to lose a drake. Ducks really want a drake around. If you lose one, you lose offspring but you also chance having a duck turn really mean trying to fill a drake's role. And a duck-turned-drake is meaner than a goose. They just try too hard.



I don't mean to contradict because you have many, many more times experience than me. And, by and large you're right. I love scovy drakes. But I had one that was just awful. Really terrible!

It would hump anything (chicken, young goose, runner, scovy, ANYTHING whether they wanted it or not). And still go after it when I pushed ("pushed") it away. It would rape a raspberry bush, thorns and all. He was terrible!

But out of five, he was the only one I called Genghis.

The other four were just great and exactly as you say.

I have never had any of my Scovy drakes go after anything other than the ducks and I have chickens and geese. I am so thankful I never have.

 

[EeyoreD]

I have never had any of my Scovy drakes go after anything other than the ducks and I have chickens and geese. I am so thankful I never have.

I have less experience than you but I did have that one guy and he was AWFUL.

I hope you never get one of THOSE drakes.

Everybody else, well we've talked, you know, I love them. But there was that one guy who was so out of character from everyone else.