Chickens attacking adult duck

[Lenore smith]

The chickens and ducks have been together for a year. We got got the muskovies last year. It was all good till recently. it may be a coincidence, but it seems like the chickens started attacking the female muscovies when they started lying on their nests does anyone know why? They don't attack them on the nest but when they're out free-ranging.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What breeds of chickens do you have? My hens wouldn’t mess with one of my broody Muscovys they get the tar beat out of them. Matter of fact my broody jumped on my rooster a few times while she was broody an now that she has ducklings. She’s a force to reckon with. If they are attacking them maybe they should be separated

 

[Lenore smith]

The Rhode island and the wyandottes have been terrible. Just the hens. They all free range during the day. It's just been the few weeks they have been going after the girls. I'm surprised the big male muskovie doesn't do anything. The ducks only come off their nests for a bit on go right on. It's that short period of time that the chicken jump them.

 

[416bigbore]

Maybe space is an issue ? This spring We started with four ISA Brown chicken hens and two Mallard hen ducklings, all were babies about a week apart in age. Now that the ISA Browns are getting close to start laying eggs and I see them pick at the other ducks out of the blue and sometimes chase them a bit in the community coop. So I am in the process of moving our ISA hens into their own coop to help avoid any possible issues from being all together. I will still let them all free range together during the day, but at night they will have their own space. IMO, as chicks it was ok to raise them all together for the extra company. Now that they are bigger and the chickens have different needs then the ducks. I think it might help avoid possible future issues being separated. Just my take on what I see when they all interact together.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The Rhode island and the wyandottes have been terrible. Just the hens. They all free range during the day. It's just been the few weeks they have been going after the girls. I'm surprised the big male muskovie doesn't do anything. The ducks only come off their nests for a bit on go right on. It's that short period of time that the chicken jump them.

My Muscovy drake has no desire to come to the aid of his females. He’s too lazy. Only thing he likes to do is beat the tar out of my gander if he gets the chance.