Blue Swedish duck hurting our chickens?

[MamaBuch]

We have two blue Swedish ducks (a male and female) and we cooincodentally have had two leg injuries in the same month and never have before (this is our first year with the ducks). We found one of our young hens under a bush at closing time one night and still can't figure out what hurt her (no blood or broken bones) and now, today.. I've noticed that the female duck is walking favoring a leg. All our birds are free ranging and have a clean coop that is cleaned every weekend.

I know for a fact that the male duck bites because he comes after us and trips us of we don't give him attention and even if we do, he still chases our feet and legs. They were hand raised inside with us and only recently did the male start biting. He also has started to try mating his female. They are 4 months old.

What do you think could be the issue?

 

[sourland]

The issue with the drake is rising testosterone and desire to mate - drakes can be extremely sex driven. It is very possible that he is breeding/trying to breed the chicken hens. This can seriously injure or even kill the hens. Drakes have penises - roosters do not. If he were mine, the drake would go into solitary until the duck hen matures and hopefully his sex drive decreases. You may eventually have to get more female ducks.

 

[MamaBuch]

Oh dear. Can it be possible that he hurt the female duck?

 

[Amiga]

Yes

 

[Orca5094]

I agree, it was likely your drake who caused these injuries. Are you able to separate him into his own pen for awhile like sourland suggested? I had to do that with my drake until my ducklings from this year were big enough for him to be in with. I finally let him out of his duck jail this morning, actually (it's just the pen right next to the one all my females are in). Breeding season seems to be over here now, so he's calmed down ALOT. They get really crazy when the testosterone kicks in.

 

[MamaBuch]

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you to you both.