Breeding Ducks

[MrsA82]

So it has come to my (apparently slow to catch up) attention that one of my two female ducks is not a female! Since they free range with our chickens, it's my understanding that we should get rid of the male. Obviously, we don't want our female duck alone so we need to get a companion for her (hopefully female this time!). I am considering trying to hatch ducklings but, unlike chickens, I just am not finding as many resources about hatching ducks and from the little info I have found ducks seem much more difficult than chickens. Should I leave her eggs be and see if she'll sit eventually or am I correct it feeling like most people pull them an incubate?

 

[Miss Lydia]

What breed?

 

[MrsA82]

What breed?

Female is a Cayuga and male is a Blue Swedish.

 

[chickens really]

Are you positive you have ave a Male? Post pictures and what are you seeing that has you thinking it's a Drake?

 

[MrsA82]

I tried to upload a video but can't figure it out. The one that I believe is male has a totally different sound. Low, raspy compared to the loud quack of my Cayuga. Also has a distinct curl in a few of his tail feathers, also he's kind of bossy haha.

 

[chickens really]

I tried to upload a video but can't figure it out. The one that I believe is male has a totally different sound. Low, raspy compared to the loud quack of my Cayuga. Also has a distinct curl in a few of his tail feathers, also he's kind of bossy haha.

Yes...Darn it sounds like a Drake. He could live happily with all your Birds..Give him a chance.

 

[TheAmundsons]

Have your chickens and ducks interacted before? What makes you think you need to get rid of him? We have a drake, 2 female ducks, 9 hens, and a rooster that all live in the same coop/run together and free range together. We've never had any issues whatsoever with the drake. I know others have different stories, but I would give your drake a chance before just getting rid of him...each bird is an individual and should have a chance to show you who they are!

We did have a drake before the current one that was too aggressive toward our female DUCK so we gave him to a friend that has a lot of land with a big pond and another drake. He never touched our chickens though, just our female duck.

 

[MrsA82]

Well, maybe 2 months ago one of our chickens drowned in the pond. I have had my suspicions it was the male ducks fault (but I don't really know) because I have seen him get rough with them before. Since then we haven't had any casualties. I also have read that I need more than one female if I am going to keep the male. That's what left me thinking I had to get rid of him. I don't want to. The chickens can get away from the ducks. They are in the same area but there is a step down that is blocked to keep our pig in a certain area and the chickens can hop it if they want and the duck's don't even try. So... maybe they can all live happily ever after?

 

[chickens really]

Can you build a Duck pen? Get two more Hens?

 

[MrsA82]

Can you build a Duck pen? Get two more Hens?

So they have their own coop, it's just that there is a shared common area and while we have an option for totally splitting the common area we are a ways off from being able to do so, maybe up to a year. We would have to tear down and rebuild their coop to make room for two more birds. I don't remember the square feet per bird for ducks but I'd guess at MOST I could add one more female duck in their current coop size.