ca you leave drakes with a hen and ducklings?

[cloudy]

Hi can you leave a drake with a hen and ducklings? Our call duck hatched out two ducklings two days ago all was fine until this morning my husband let them out the drake and the hen came out like grease lightning leaving the baby ducklings behind they did venture back five minutes later to their baby’s all seemed fine then half an hour later my husband looked in again and seen one of the ducklings on its side and was looking very poorly he brought it to the house and put under a heat lamp but sadly he died leaving the one duckling we put them all in to an enclosed run so they could all be outside together for a while it was then we noticed the drake go to peak the duckling twice, but not hard enough to hurt it, now we are wondering if the drake had done something to the duckling that died? We have split him up from them but she is far from happy and calling none stop?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi can you leave a drake with a hen and ducklings? Our call duck hatched out two ducklings two days ago all was fine until this morning my husband let them out the drake and the hen came out like grease lightning leaving the baby ducklings behind they did venture back five minutes later to their baby’s all seemed fine then half an hour later my husband looked in again and seen one of the ducklings on its side and was looking very poorly he brought it to the house and put under a heat lamp but sadly he died leaving the one duckling we put them all in to an enclosed run so they could all be outside together for a while it was then we noticed the drake go to peak the duckling twice, but not hard enough to hurt it, now we are wondering if the drake had done something to the duckling that died? We have split him up from them but she is far from happy and calling none stop?

Drakes have been known to kill ducklings put mama and baby together separate from the drake. till baby is at least 4 weeks old. Sorry for your loss.

 

[desertdarlene]

Unfortunately, drakes can be deadly to ducklings, especially in close quarters. I would definitely keep dad away from the baby.

 

[Going Quackers]

I'm sorry. Yes, i would keep them apart until the babies are older... I also think it depends on the drakes.. my 8wk old has been running with the flock since only a couple weeks old and that flock includes three drakes...

That said my current brood of 9 is still penned with mum, that is a lot of babies to have to guard with now 4(LOL ok one doesn't realize he is yet) drakes to contend with so i'll let them grow out a bit further. To be honest i have had more trouble with some of the other ducks being grumpy with the young vs the drakes.