Do ducks do best with a drake?

[Jpat]

Imagine your parents caught you doing something during puberty and they directly "hired"someone.. omg..

its weird but i cant say i wouldve been mad about it

 

[DiYMama540]

I think most the points have been touched on here, but for some reason I feel the need to add my experience...

I only have a pair of ducks, one drake, one hen...they were brooded together and have bonded so closely I can't imagine not having both. The drake is very polite when it comes to mating, and always allows the female to get the treats and bugs first. He's always just a few steps behind her, and is constantly on the lookout for the best nest site, predators, food, whatever...

The winter has calmed down their love making sessions...only catch them maybe once a week, always initiated by the female. During the summer though, I noticed my drake wasn't particularly rough, and the act itself didn't seem to last long enough for any drowning to occur. My drake is KC and female is Runner, so he has a hard time staying on top

 

[Beaglegal]

Hi friends,

Hoping to glean from the experience of people here. I have 6 female ducks, 3 welsh harlequins and 3 pekins. Everytime they get into their wading pool, and sometimes even outside the pool, they display the desire to mate. At least I think that's what I am observing. They flatten their backs, get down low, with back end raised. They all do it, but the welsh are the worst and as soon as they get in the water they start head-bobbing and then jump on top of each other and try to drown each other. They're all under a year old. Is it cruel not to have a drake and allow them to fulfill their biological instincts? I have no desire for hatching out ducklings at this point, and hate to upset the apple cart, as my girls get along well for the most part, but would they actually be better off if I had one drake, or will this behavior die down with age? Just wanting to do what's best for them. Thanks!

I’ve only ever had a duck flock with a drake, but we love our drake. I have heard horror stories about drakes, but have had nothing but a positive experience. That being said I think animals are able to adapt to whatever situation they are in. Since you keep ducks for enjoyment in exchange for feeding and housing them I think you should do what you think you would enjoy.

 

[johntfs]

Imagine your parents caught you doing something during puberty and they directly "hired"someone.. omg..

its weird but i cant say i would've been mad about it

I'm pretty sure at least a few 80s sex dramas ("Nine and Two-Thirds Weeks With a Wild Orchid" or something) have that plot. Wasn't that at least suggested when Jason Biggs effed the pastry in American Pie?

 

[Jpat]

Lmao

 

[johntfs]

But then after that say; thanks; so I better need to hire a female duck then?

I love the way this was put. Now we just need an Animal Planet series: The Best Little Henhouse in Texas.

So weird.. because it's like "we attach human emotions to the duck and we worry now" and then "we go against human emotions now because it is an animal" =/

So weird.

So. Please don't do that.

It's not really that weird. Animals owned by humans are generally either pets or livestock, with a few "working animals" that come in-between (military dogs are given a rank that's higher than that of their handler so that abuse of the animal is considered to be "striking a superior officer" and will be punished more severely under the Uniform Code of Military Justice).

Livestock is basically "food with benefits" while pets are "part of the family." The same person who has no problem culling and eating a troublesome (or superfluous) drake would recoil in horror at the idea of doing the same to Mr. Quackers, their "house duck."

So, a person with a pet drake wants their "family member" to be happy, but they still know he's an animal so buying him a "girlfriend" is perfectly reasonable in their minds.

 

[DiYMama540]

I love the way this was put. Now we just need an Animal Planet series: The Best Little Henhouse in Texas.

This!!

 

[Beaglegal]

I love the way this was put. Now we just need an Animal Planet series: The Best Little Henhouse in Texas.




It's not really that weird. Animals owned by humans are generally either pets or livestock, with a few "working animals" that come in-between (military dogs are given a rank that's higher than that of their handler so that abuse of the animal is considered to be "striking a superior officer" and will be punished more severely under the Uniform Code of Military Justice).

Livestock is basically "food with benefits" while pets are "part of the family." The same person who has no problem culling and eating a troublesome (or superfluous) drake would recoil in horror at the idea of doing the same to Mr. Quackers, their "house duck."

So, a person with a pet drake wants their "family member" to be happy, but they still know he's an animal so buying him a "girlfriend" is perfectly reasonable in their minds.

I would add that we don’t really know what goes on in the mind of an animal. It seems like in a rush to not anthropomorphise animals we often dismiss or discount them saying that they couldn’t have feelings similar to ours and the truth is we really don’t know. I think the desire to mate is pretty basic, the basis of life really. It’s instinctual. And in zoos they have shown that some animals get really depressed when they can’t live instinctively. However I think that ducks do well in domestic situations and the benefit we provide in food and safety outweighs them not being able to engage in other natural behaviors. Since we keep them we get to make choices about their lives.

 

[Loopeend]

I love the way this was put. Now we just need an Animal Planet series: The Best Little Henhouse in Texas.




It's not really that weird. Animals owned by humans are generally either pets or livestock, with a few "working animals" that come in-between (military dogs are given a rank that's higher than that of their handler so that abuse of the animal is considered to be "striking a superior officer" and will be punished more severely under the Uniform Code of Military Justice).

Livestock is basically "food with benefits" while pets are "part of the family." The same person who has no problem culling and eating a troublesome (or superfluous) drake would recoil in horror at the idea of doing the same to Mr. Quackers, their "house duck."

So, a person with a pet drake wants their "family member" to be happy, but they still know he's an animal so buying him a "girlfriend" is perfectly reasonable in their minds.

Buying them a drake/or hens, or a hire a drake for a short time to fertelize eggs is different then "hire" a drake/hen for once to "help" them with their urges. That creeps me out a bit haha.
Plus; it does not work. They are not humans that do the 365 days a year; just like cats in heat they have periods... and a drake does not stop with being in that period once relieved.. you can hire yourself ladie's for him until your broke

 

[Loopeend]

I would add that we don’t really know what goes on in the mind of an animal. It seems like in a rush to not anthropomorphise animals we often dismiss or discount them saying that they couldn’t have feelings similar to ours and the truth is we really don’t know. I think the desire to mate is pretty basic, the basis of life really. It’s instinctual. And in zoos they have shown that some animals get really depressed when they can’t live instinctively. However I think that ducks do well in domestic situations and the benefit we provide in food and safety outweighs them not being able to engage in other natural behaviors. Since we keep them we get to make choices about their lives.

Not all animals are the same for sure. Chimpanzees can actually wánt a baby. But for ducks and rats, two social group animals I have experience with; the thing that makes them the most depressed are lack of other animals to socialize with. Not so much the urges for procreating. Unless you would keep them seperated from the other gender their whole life but can communicate/see the other gender; but not reach it. That's bound to give some frustration during certain periods (rats 365 days a year).

I think it is often the owner speaking. It tells you more about what they could not miss in life It's not a duck-only topic for that matter. Met women that wanted children really much; so would find it sad for her cat if she would never be a mom...and men who don't want their cat/dog neutered "out of principals".. don't get me started...