Drake Ducks Fighting

[gardavis2]

Lately, when I let the four ducks out in the morning, one of them, Pinky, comes over to me to nibble my shoe or bite my leg before catching up with the others running to the lake.

In the lake, they immediately start fighting and Pinky seems to be the instigator. They are all 9 month old males and perhaps it's mating behavior. Sometimes it's two on one with the fourth well off to the side ignoring the commotion. I break them up (if they are close to shore) and that may work for a few minutes. Usually, they don't fight when out of the water though last night there was a little fighting in the coop.

When fighting, they like to go for the crests. I am afraid that they may drown one another and there realistically is nothing I can do. Any suggestions on what to do would be greatly appreciated. Like is scolding worthwhile? During the day, they travel all over the lake as a close-knit group, most of the time not fighting.

The Florida Mottled ducks always come over to visit during the day. My White Crested ducks chase them but never catch up. If they get too close, the Mottleds just fly a few feet away but they seem to like to stay nearby the Cresteds.

YouTube video:

 

[KaleIAm]

I believe their hormones are increased because it is nearly spring, and a great time to make duckling babies. Without females to mate with, they just want to mate with each other.

It may look like they are fighting, but that's just how ducks mate. They hold on with their mouths and climb on the other duck's back. With crested ducks they often hold onto the crest instead of the neck because that is easier to grip. Sometimes they submerge the bottom ducks head under water. It is part of the normal mating process.

I speculate that the wild female ducks increase your ducks' sexual frustrations. Unfortunately I don't have a solution. If you were to get females for your flock you would need at least 5 females for every drake to prevent overmating. Hopefully it will be a seasonal issue and your boys will calm down in the fall.

My all female flock has similar behavior. They dunk each other's heads while mating, and my crested duck has her crest held on to.

 

[gardavis2]

Thanks for your insights. Hopefully things will work out.

 

[DucksOhio]

Springtime! I'm having issues today with one drake fighting with the other. Seems to happen every year about this time.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Figure about twenty hens; five hens per drake. I have six hens per drake and the only interactions between my drakes is something like 'Whew! This is exhausting! '