Drake mating/attacking my hens

[blondiebee181]

Should I seperate him immediately? Or will he be okay for a while? My local hatchery will take him I think, and he will have access to females there. I won't be able to make arrangements for week at least. Also I really want to get my hands on some females, prefferably Indian Runners but my hatchery here in Idaho (Dunlap) has stopped hatching them for the season. I know Metzer will still send them almost year around and I am considering ordering from them. I love my Paul and it will be sad to give him up,

but I don't want him to ruin my henny-pennies either. Thanks for the advice so far. Has anyone here had experience with Metzer? I have tried several hatcheries closer, like on the eastern Oregon and Washington side, with no luck so far. Most of them have stopped hatching for the season. Thanks again.

 

[larkflying]

I'd separate him immediately, if you had a spot, for the sake of the hens. If he has to be a little cooped up for a week, that is better than injuries and frazzled chickens. Really, it is something they don't need to live with - and you never know when he'll figure out how to catch them where they can't get away. If I didn't want ducklings I'd rehome my drakes -- and if any of them were chicken aggressive they'd have to go anyway. Right now I'm waiting for my two immature drakes to reach breeding age, and then I'll see how they behave.

That hatchery sounds like a great place for Paul though -- how nice that you have that option!

I ordered my ducklings and goslings from Metzer's last year and had a very good experience! They were all healthy and happy upon arrival -- I recommend paying for the grow gel for them to eat during shipping - it isn't that much more, and mine had completely eaten theirs up by the time I got them. I think it helped them a lot with the shipping stresses. They even threw in an extra duckling which was nice . . .

 

[Mike Winters]

and extras are usually a male

 

[blondiebee181]

Thanks for all the helpful advice guys. I have a lady that may be interested in him as a solo companion and if not that then the lady from the hatchery has a home duck and goose flock that he will be happy with. On the bright side I have ordered 2 beautiful female Indian Runner ducklings from Metzer and they will be arriving Weds July 11th! Very excited about this!

 

[JorjaRhayne]

I just bought a Cayuga Drake at auction (6 1/2 mths) with intent on just housing him with my chickens due to him being only duck and I only have 1 fenced area (80 sq ft living yard) and someone there said he may kill my chickens if I have no duck hens do to the mating issue. I was able to buy 2 ruen hens to go with him (5 mths) and I am waiting on an email from someone selling laying Cayuga Hens which I would prefer to have with him. I am wondering if I will have any trouble out of him with him having 2 girls currently and soon more. He is very docile and only slightly "draky" but with his girls not towards my chickens yet. I do have 2 roosters that are protective. I know the ruens can't fly but I have clipped a wing on Poe and am also curious how long before the ducks need to stay penned before allowing them supervised free-ranging. My 16 chickens stay contently in my yard and free-range 6 hrs+ a day with being locked up at night. Any suggestions would be helpful. I do plan to raise fertile eggs for chicks and a few Balut servings. So I do need a drake around.

 

[thanasis]

Hello.

I m having a big problem with my 2 drakes. I m happy to see this post.

I have 5 geese and a six month pekin hen duck that they grew up together and 2 drakes (rouen I think) a few weeks younger. Its been a few weeks that the drakes attack and mate with the chickens (usually the ones that may have a health problem). However, when they try to chase the hen duck the geese dont let them do it. So, they attack the chickens. Yesterday I gave away one of the drakes to a friend who's got hen ducks, but today I saw the same thing happen...I guess the drakes are too agressive with chickens unless there are lots of hen ducks, right? So, I need to separate him or get more females?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Amiga]

I think you have it, yes, you know, it really depends on the drake. Some are just really intense that way. I encourage people to protect the females. Chickens can receive fatal injuries from a drake mating with them. Get that guy away, until you can sort it all out. And please keep us posted.

 

[Silvia2234]

I haven't had much problems with drakes. Besides they pull thier tails.

 

[talelady]

I just residential just put my white pekin drake in freezer camp because of his aggression to my chickens. He has killed one and injured two others from his mating. Tryed to find him a girlfriend for months with no luck. Ducks are hard to get a hold of here