Boy Trouble

[fowl farm]

I've noticed the past few days my ducks were getting rougher and teasing each other more often. This morning it clicked that it was the male ducks bothering the females, Bert being the worst ( at least today). I know this is what ducks do but I'm a little worried about my smallest duck (Bugs) who happens to have angel wing. The boys aren't targeting any one girl, and Bugs seems pretty capable of handling it at the moment, but I'm guessing this is going to get more serious. Should I worry about Bugs? I don't think separating is a good idea.

 

[Amiga]

If I were Bugs, I sure would be asking to be separated.

What makes it not a good idea, from your point of view?

Ducks are killed by overly aggressive drakes quite frequently.

 

[fowl farm]

I thought ducks were social animals? I just didn't think that she wouldn't take well to living by herself. I never really tamed them to the point where I am the center of their universe. They know me and accept me and know I mean food but I can't pet them and unless they're hungry only two will eat out of my hands and they don't like other people. Point being, they're not people ducks. They're duck ducks

 

[Amiga]

Boys in one area, girls in the other. There are at least two girls?

And yes, they are social. And drakes abuse ducks with some regularity. Not all drakes, but some do, and it can be fatal.

I would prefer some unhappy drakes to the alternative in this case.

 

[fowl farm]

And I've only noticed it in the morning when they're first let out. Otherwise they're fine. I don't know if that changes anything or not.

Three girls, three boys. Can they house together at night?

 

[fowl farm]

If it's just the one duck, would it be possible to move just him? And they're going to be free range. I'm just trying to look at this from all possible angles.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If it's just the one duck, would it be possible to move just him? And they're going to be free range. I'm just trying to look at this from all possible angles.

It would be such a shame to keep 1 drake by himself like you said they are very social, best would be too find homes for 2 of your drakes or get more girls. There should at least be 3-4 ducks to every drake.

 

[newbyduckmom]

I have 3 drakes and 3 hens. They are separate at night - and mostly during the day - unless I am very nearby. The drakes are just too brutal. Something about the crowd mentality - one drake starts being aggressive and all three chime in (usually with a single hen). They go through a breeding frenzy when first allowed to be together, calm down for awhile, but then will go into frenzy whenever the mood strikes them. I tried leaving them together after observing them when first released and figured it would be okay as the frenzy was over. Not. I do have one drake that is very protective of my girls, so quite often I leave him with the girls in the big run during the day, and put the other two drakes in the small run. Were I to put my drakes and hens together at night, I would have no hens alive in the morning. Something about being in the duck house (enclosed space? where they have more control) makes them three times as aggressive.

 

[PetesMom]

It would be such a shame to keep 1 drake by himself like you said they are very social, best would be too find homes for 2 of your drakes or get more girls. There should at least be 3-4 ducks to every drake.

I agree with this.....get rid of 2 drakes or get more girls....atleast 6 of them

 

[Buxton Ducks]

I did so much research on ducks before I got my first ones and I wish I had come on this forum first. No book told me how brutal the boys can be to the girls! I now have 2 drakes and 16 girls. I kept my best behaved boys and now they are monsters with the others gone! At lease with such a large sex ratio, certain girls can get some space. The drakes seem to pick favorites but once that favorite is gone, they will pick on another. I agree with everybody else, get a few more girls and find homes for a couple drakes. Ducks are so stressful do to this problem, but they are so **** cute!