Drake / Chicken Problem….. Please help me understand!!!

[Leomome]

I have 4 chickens and two ducks ( one a drake). The drake has been attacking my hens and my rooster is not protecting them. They are all just 7 months old and grew up together (if that matters) and now I noticed one of my hens has a swollen wattle. Could this be from an attack and how do I get the drake to stop attacking the hens? Please can someone give me some advice….

 

[sourland]

The drake is becoming sexually active and is most likely trying to breed the hens. This can injure/kill the hens as a drake has a penis, and roosters do not. The only way to stop this behavior is to separate the drake from the chickens.

 

[Leomome]

The drake is becoming sexually active and is most likely trying to breed the hens. This can injure/kill the hens as a drake has a penis, and roosters do not. The only way to stop this behavior is to separate the drake from the chickens.

Okay this may be stupid but how do separate them, do I leave him in the run while the others free range?

 

[sourland]

He should be kept away from the chicken hens at all times. This may very well require separate pens and coops. Sometimes when they are raised together drakes imprint on the chicken hens as much as on the duck hens. To him they are the 'same', and drakes are very sexually active.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Separate pens and coops as well as no free ranging together.

It is not safe for your chicken hens to be bred by a drake.

 

[Leomome]

Thank you to everyone, follow up question… can drakes be housed with geese?

 

[fowltemptress]

Thank you to everyone, follow up question… can drakes be housed with geese?

That depends? Geese get very territorial when they're breeding and have nests, and I've heard of them injuring and/or killing ducks during those times. I've also had a muscovy drake who was huge, and I had to keep him separate from my geese because he ran the girls ragged chasing them down to mate. He was about 20 lbs, and I think he found mating with my geese easier since he was so much bigger than my muscovy hens. I've also known and heard of people who keep ducks and geese together without ever experiencing a problem. Breeds, how large the space is, how many watering/food spots you have, and time of year all play a part in how well your animals will do together. If you do put them together, make sure to monitor them for awhile, and know even if they seem great together that breeding season can throw a wrench in the works.

Personally my geese and ducks run together during the day, but I coop them separately at night so that one breed isn't able to corner another in a small space should things go awry. I also have a dog crate in the duck coop, in which I put my drake at night to separate him from the hens. Folks aren't kidding when they say drakes are highly sexed, and even with half a dozen hens my drake was causing them too much stress by over-mating them in the coop. At least when they're out, there's enough room for the girls to get away if they don't feel like dealing with the drake's amorous attentions.

 

[Chicalina]

I came on the thread to say the same as everyone else.

I used to keep ducks and chickens together. I got rid of my drakes for the same reason you need to consider.

Drakes are rapey and they don't care what bird it is.