My friend has 19 ducks! 7 were bought first 2 are hens and 4 drakes/ Then she bought 11 more sexed hens and 1 drake. Problem ----now that the first ones are sexually mature they pick on one drake and actually mate him. WEIRD! Is this a dominace thing? It is a for sure male it now has drake curl feathers and raspy voice. Does she have to many drakes? When the others mature will things work out for the better? They wont let it near others and pick on him as well. He is a loner btw they are all differant breeds Blue Swedish, rouen, cyuga, runner, magpie, pekin, black swedish
I have several females together in a breeding pen by themselves and apparently they must have taken the words "breeding pen" to heart because they are doing the same thing. I'm inclined to think it's a dominance thing like it is in other species, but I have also seen the one female posturing in the water and waiting to be bred, so maybe they think it's a practice session. One thing is for sure: if parents ever feel the need to open "the talk" with their children about "the birds and the bees", all they need to do for an ice-breaker is get ducks!
No making fun of meeeeeeeee! Mommy isn't going along with this idea, and god forbid anyone steps out of a burning house w/out her permission. Lol but she's the best. She doesn't get, why ducks. To her they are like tiny geese.
I know wild mallard drakes will sometimes mate with another drake even if there's plenty of females present. I read a study that says that mallards have a high rate of male on male mating compared to other animals and birds. Since the domestic ducks, except Muscovies are all derived from mallards, I wouldn't be surprised if this carried through to them, too. I've always thought mallard drakes were oversexed, anyway.
Yes, its a way to establish dominance. By "mating" a weaker male, the stronger male is telling the weaker drake that it's his kingdom, he is the ruler, he will mate with whomever he chooses, and the weaker guy better do as he is told, or he'll get more of the same treatment. Now, the ganging up thing I'm not sure about -- at one time or another, I suspect they all get the same treatment from the strongest drake. I think ducks are a "love the one you're with" kind of animal, anyway. I had a pair of very committed lesbian hens once. They seemed happy and laid well, that was all that mattered.
I believe it the dominance thing. I once had a Silkie Roo that would come out in the morning and go after every hen. Once he was done there he would start on the other Roos. Even my RIR roo which was atleast twice his size.
