Depressed dogs+ Mean duck=bruised momma

[Kmoreau]

I am so sad and disappointed in my Pekin drake Goose. He was the sweetest duck ever. He just made 8 months. I have never seen him try to mate my female, and in fact he very gentle with her.

Ever since he was a baby, he has been around my dogs and vice versa. He acts like a dog. They all played together and loved each other.

He loved to be held and cuddled he comes when you call him, and he is always sitting by the back door waiting for me or the dogs to come outside and see him. He sometimes wears a diaper and doesn't mind. Again he is the sweetest duck ever. He was my baby and my favorite, until now!

He has gotten kind mean just over the past week. Whenever the dogs go outside he waits for them then attacks them. He pecks them really really hard and chases them biting them. They are almost afraid to go outside with him. I am afraid that it's going to lead to my dog attacking him when she gets tired of it. Just yesterday he started pecking me which he has never done before. He wanted to be picked up so I was holding him, then he latched on to my neck. He left me with a big bruise.

I love him he was a rescue from Easter. I will not process him, and I really don't want to get rid of him. I have been correcting him, by trying to flatten him out; or picking him up when him is held like a baby. It's not working. I just don't know what to do.
I have been really really busy the past few weeks. Is it possible he is just seeking attention? Please help my dogs are sad, my ducks is angry, and I am bruised.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
What your seeing is Goose coming of age, They have this stuff called testosterone raging through their bodies and it takes time for them to come to terms with it, the reason i can say this is my drake who was raised in the house wore a diaper and didn't mind has just about the same problem, my lil cuddly duck has become my stalker, if he gets a chance he'll bite the tar out of me and leave bruises to show for it, he has not been mean to the dogs yet, but I watch for that too, but my goose has already made enemies of the dogs so I am hoping my drake won't cross that line, What i have found that works for me is to just ignore him when he is acting up, I just walk by him and I don't try to pet him, if he latched on to me as I walk by I just keep walking till he lets go, I also flatten him out but it really doesn't seem to sink in, I think they just don't understand that this is unacceptable behaviour, My adult drake who has never been in the house has never worn a diaper or I have never picked up to cuddle Has Never tried to bite me or jump me, he is the perfect gentleman, so you see I can pretty much tell why mine is acting like he is, it's because of me. My drake duckling hes almost 6months is not a doggie that I can snuggle with and cuddle with, yes this duckling even got into bed with my dh and I, I will not try to make him one either, I think quite a few posters can see xactly where you are now because we have all been there and it's the drakes we have the problems with, He will always have a home here and he will always be very special to me but he is not the lil duckling anymore he is grown, which means be there to make sure your dog doesn't hurt him but let them work it out if you can, My dogs hate our goose but they know that they can't attack it, but I never let them alone with him, just be there to intervene if neccssary, you dog needs to let the drake understand they live there too and they will not be bullied. I'm sure others will chime in on their own experiences with this but i hope i have helped in some way. It's hard to let go, my dh tells me my boy wants to make me part of his harem since it's me he goes after.

 

[dianaross77]

Miss Lydia's right. Your drake is confused. He sees you as another duck, competition. I had one here like that too. He didn't mess with me too much but he sure went after my kids. The only difference is I was warned by the breeder to be careful how you raise a drake. Too much cuddling and snuggling is a recipe for disaster. I don't think he is beyond help but he needs to be treated like a duck. One thing that was helpful for my daughter was to give her a small tree branch (big enough not to be too pokey) to use to "peck" our grumpy drake. Any time he would move towards her she would walk toward him quickly and peck him and chase him off like another drake would. He needs to give you space. If you're near the food bowl, he needs to not be. You need to take ownership of the dogs, too. Whenever he gets near them he needs to be chased off. It'll take some patience and consistency but I know you can do it. He just can't be a lap duck anymore.

 

[kitkatbahr]

Maybe it is time you got him some ducky companionship. He needs two or three hens for company!

 

[Kmoreau]

Hahahaha!!! Kitkatbahr I love your suggestion. I have been wanting to get two more females I really wanted Swedish. I even won a 40$ gift certificate for meters, but my husband is not having it. My two ducks were Easter rescues. And that's how I ended up owning them.
I really do want more but my husband has other plans. His plan is 2 is enough. I just couldn't see myself getting rid of him. It makes me so sad. He didn't start this behavior until after being slightly neglected ( he went from an hour a day attention, to 10-15 min a day attention) so I was thinking he could have just been acting out. He was much better tonight when I went out he didn't peck at me at all, and he went after the dogs but I stepped in between them and he stopped. The stick Idea was a good one and I'll try that next. I just don't want him to become fearful of me.

Thanks for the help guys

 

[dianaross77]

If you use the stick and you're careful (which I know you will be), he won't be afraid of you. Respect and fear are two different things. If you watch ducks peck eachother, it's just a gentle poke. I'd rather have a duck be a little afraid of me than go twilight on my neck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Or your arms or legs. good idea about the stick, I keep a walking stick out in the duck/chicken/goose yard for the goose will have to try it on OPie when he feels arnery.