drake got 'tied' with my 3 month old hen!

[Ariesmom]

I have a VERY sexually aggressive drake that has a thing for my hens ( more so than his own girl ducks )....I decided to allow he and his 2 girls to free range in a large penned area along with my 3 to 4 month old chicks. A few days ago my barred rock hen seemed like she didn't feel well and kind of hid from the other birds in a quiet location. After checking her over I noticed her head feathers were bald and immediately put 2 and 2 together and figured that annoying drake got to her. Today she seemed a bit livelier and I was relived until while I was preparing to put them all up for the nite, he got out of the pen and with no hesitation, grabbed her again and this time I saw it with my own eyes...he successfully got her this time and I couldn't move fast enough to get him off her. Now she seems unhappy and stand offish again. My question is if she has damage from his reproductive organs how long til I will know or will she be okay? I want this stupid duck out of here but no one wants him! It's taking all I can not to dump his butt in the nearest pond down the road!!!! Has anyone had this happen and do they really die from being mounted by a duck? She looks very unhappy and uncomfortable. Please any answers will be greatly appreciated!

 

[pekinduck<3er]

Why don't you just not keep them together..? Problem solved..But alot of drakes do this to chickens...It's their own way...They try to mate with geese and even one of my turkey! But this could harm your chicken..don't get rid of him for doing whats natural for him..Mating..

 

[RiverOtter]

Yes, she can die, I bet she's unhappy and uncomfortable!! And here is why;
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/science/01duck.html?_r=1
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2009/12/22/kinkiness-beyond-kinky/

That is why biologists know about the reproductive organs of ducks, they are not compatable at all with your poor little pullet chick, who may die of internal injuries, if not this time, she's lucky, I wouldn't risk it happening again.

Duck is rather tasty. I understand some are uncomfortable with that, but one, quick stroke of an ax is painless, unlike slow death from internal rupture, which is what one or more hens may suffer if you decline to do that one, quick stroke, or let someone else do it.

 

[Ariesmom]

so I guess my question is how long before she will die if he injured her? She seemed down in the dumps before this last episode for about 2 or 3 days. Now he got her again and I am mad at myself for not thinking of that when I let him out for the second I got the pen door open to get the pullets to 'bed'. If she's not dead by tomorrow should she be okay? I love my little Jelly Bean....I got her for my 3 yr old who says she has pretty eyes...she's the nicest and most docile of my group. Stupid duck! Unfortunately I am a vegetarian and the thought of killing him upsets me.

 

[Ariesmom]

I didn't see the other post about keeping him....I've tried for so long and feel bad about isolating him when all the others get along great. I have 3 toulouse geese that aren't quite full grown and he is actually submissive to them. It's just he has a thing for chickens....last yr he got his face so bloodied when he repeatedly tried to go after my hens in front of their dominneker rooster! He just never quits no matter how badly he'd lose the fight if I didn't intervene. That episode is why I got 2 female ducks for him last yr. But now, more flat ducky feet makes for more nasty pen flooring so I realized when you mix some scratching chickens with the ducks, it naturally keeps it cleaner. So now I'm down to this dilemma of what to do with him. His girls lay excellent eggs and are very broody ( we've hatched 13 babies this summer from them ) I just wish I could keep him and his girls with some chickens. Is this how all drakes are??? I'm also hatching out some guineas soon and that makes it even harder to pen him solo....i don't have enough enclosures to keep him by himself. I've tried to free range him on our 15 acres and he'll just sneak attack you when you come out of the house or will constantly run down the german shepherd that patrols our property. He's crazy!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

so I guess my question is how long before she will die if he injured her? She seemed down in the dumps before this last episode for about 2 or 3 days. Now he got her again and I am mad at myself for not thinking of that when I let him out for the second I got the pen door open to get the pullets to 'bed'. If she's not dead by tomorrow should she be okay? I love my little Jelly Bean....I got her for my 3 yr old who says she has pretty eyes...she's the nicest and most docile of my group. Stupid duck! Unfortunately I am a vegetarian and the thought of killing him upsets me.

I doubt anyone can tell you how long before she would die from internal injuries. can you not put fencing down the middle of your run and separate your ducks from your chickens? like someone said you can't hate the drake from acting like a drake. And please don't dump him in a pond some where it would be the same as killing him. Sorry i have to be blunt.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I didn't see the other post about keeping him....I've tried for so long and feel bad about isolating him when all the others get along great. I have 3 toulouse geese that aren't quite full grown and he is actually submissive to them. It's just he has a thing for chickens....last yr he got his face so bloodied when he repeatedly tried to go after my hens in front of their dominneker rooster! He just never quits no matter how badly he'd lose the fight if I didn't intervene. That episode is why I got 2 female ducks for him last yr. But now, more flat ducky feet makes for more nasty pen flooring so I realized when you mix some scratching chickens with the ducks, it naturally keeps it cleaner. So now I'm down to this dilemma of what to do with him. His girls lay excellent eggs and are very broody ( we've hatched 13 babies this summer from them ) I just wish I could keep him and his girls with some chickens. Is this how all drakes are??? I'm also hatching out some guineas soon and that makes it even harder to pen him solo....i don't have enough enclosures to keep him by himself. I've tried to free range him on our 15 acres and he'll just sneak attack you when you come out of the house or will constantly run down the german shepherd that patrols our property. He's crazy!!!!

Yes thats the way drakes are, hormone driven. what about the drakes that are in the ducklings you just hatched what are you going to do with them? this needs to be thought through because when we take on the responsibility of hatching and raising duckling, chickens geese or guineas we are going to have males come with the females. thats just the way it is, so you need to plan for runs and coops for them to live separately if needed. Once breeding season is over [end of summer] he'll most likely settle down.

 

[Ariesmom]

no your fine...blunt is good. I couldn't actually do that anyways. I'm all talk! I do have a divider down the middle, that's how I have them for now but I'm adding more chickens to my family and soon they'll need a full run. I was just hoping they could all get along. The problem I have with the divider is the chickens will occasionally fly over and end up in the duck section and then act like they can't figure out how to get back. As far as him cooling down after mating season....I waited for that last yr and didn't notice one ounce of difference!!!

 

[Ariesmom]

as for the babies....I rehomed all but 2 and from vent sexing I kept only girls. No more ducklings for me! That is why I'm thinking of finding him a home and keeping his girls for eggs!

 

[spiderlady]

Duck is rather tasty.

It's so true. I raise ducks, and while I REALLY don't enjoy butchering them, as far as I am concerned it is part of the process of having a farm and raising your own healthy food. Obviously since you are a vegetarian you are not going to want to do that, but maybe there is someone nearby that wouldn't mind taking a free duck off your hands and butchering it themselves. Or for that matter, maybe someone else who just had ducks would want him to keep and not eat if that makes you feel better.

As for the behavior, others have said that all drakes are like that, and while that may be true to some extent, I feel that some are definitely worse than others. I'm have one right now that is overly aggressive with the females and he is definitely getting eaten this fall along with the other extra drakes. My drake that I keep for breeding is a little more of a gentleman and doesn't overdue it. Also if your drake is aggressive toward people (It kinda sounded like it from your last post?) that is definitely not all drakes. I've only had one like that, and that was the first duck I ate

Anyway though, just do whatever makes you comfortable and don't feel bad. We live and learn. I hope your little chicken is OK, and I'm sure you will know within a few days.

Cheers