Donald is developing an attitude....

[peepsandquacks]

My house duck Donald has been turning into an jerk lately. Maybe it's horromones or something but he's been very snippy. He will peck us if we get close, or walk up and peck us if on the couch. (not hard to blister, but a little peck) Today, he was biting at paper sitting on the cough, I pushed him away and told him no.... And he snipped/ pecked back. I swatted his beak and said NO! And he nipped at my hand hard like a spoiled teenager pushing back in a tantrum. So I grabbed his beak and held it shut telling him NO! Until he stopped fighting me, and relaxed. I let him go and he ran off.


Is this normal teenage/ young drake behavior? Or is he just turning into an *** hole. It kind of feels like a dominance battle between me and him (I'm female by the way)

 

[ChickInDelight]

What kind of duck and how old?

 

[peepsandquacks]

Rouen, and I got him as a newborn in march so roughly 6 months

He doesn't nip the kids at all. Just me and my husband. Edit, and the dog. The dog can be just laying on the couch sleeping and Donny will come up and bite him.


Oh and something else he does, us if I hold my hand out he will 'bow' under it like he wants to be pet, then nip hard.

 

[dianaross77]

He needs to be dominated. One hand on the back one hand on the neck, stretch his neck out and flatten him out on the floor. Similar to a drake mating a duck. Hold him down gently until he stops struggling. It works. I did it to both my boys. They are really respectful now. I'm guessing it's the hormones making him test the boundaries.

 

[peepsandquacks]

Thanks! I will try that when he gets out of the tub.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:

I 'm sorry but that just hit me funny..

and by the way I have had to do this on my duckling too he's 3 months, and he has gotten much better.

 

[Amiga]

Every time I read about this drake behavior, I rethink the idea of adding a drake to my all-girl flock.

It does seem like a case of (ducky equivalent of) testosterone poisoning.

Gotta chucke.

 

[newbyduckmom]

I love my drakes - they have more friendly personalities than the hens.

Or at least they did once we had a discussion or two about biting the humans. Suggestions on how to show dominance above worked well for us!


If I had it to do over again, I would order hens and skip the drakes. Too many behavior issues, two houses, etc etc.

Adding two more hens to the three drake and one hen we had was not enough to correct the problems....and hubby won't go for 6 more ducks!

 

[peepsandquacks]

Quote:

I 'm sorry but that just hit me funny..

and by the way I have had to do this on my duckling too he's 3 months, and he has gotten much better.

Lol what? He takes a bath after dinner. Not weird at all! He's a little spoiled.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:

I 'm sorry but that just hit me funny..

and by the way I have had to do this on my duckling too he's 3 months, and he has gotten much better.

Lol what? He takes a bath after dinner. Not weird at all! He's a little spoiled.