Drake only "servicing" one female?

[QuackerJackFarms]

Scenario: Ok, yes, I have been watching... and I noticed that only one of my two mallard hens seems to be getting "attention" from the male. The female that isn't getting any "attention" tries REALLY hard. (Ya know, the head bob, the laying flat in the pool thing...) And he ignores her!

So now I have 20 eggs in the bator.. And guess what. The 10 white eggs are doing great, the 10 blue eggs are duds. So guess which hen lays the blue eggs? The one that gets nothin' from the drake.

Anybody have any suggestions or seen this happen before? I mean... it's nice that he's a "one woman man"... but, I'm gonna need him to mack daddy up here.

They are mallards BTW.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

You are too funny.
I have seen my Drake favor one female and literally just hang out w/ her, but when the other hens went broody all if their eggs hatched. Which in your case is not the case. Maybe try removing the other female for a short while to get him interested in the other woman/ duck.

 

[newbyduckmom]

D'Angelo N Va. :

You are too funny.
I have seen my Drake favor one female and literally just hang out w/ her, but when the other hens went broody all if their eggs hatched. Which in your case is not the case. Maybe try removing the other female for a short while to get him interested in the other woman/ duck.

Hopefully absence won't make the heart grow fonder!

I have two Khaki hens and one Magpie hen. One Magpie drake and two Khaki drakes. I had the same problem you do initially, but separated the hens not getting 'attention' and put them in the run with the kiddie pool and one drake at a time during the day. Called it 'conjugal visits'. Did this for about a week. Problem solved.

Now I have the reverse problem, the Khaki hens will have nothing to do with the Khaki drakes, and yet they strut around after the Magpie drake like nobody's business. They even physically fight off both the Khaki drakes when they come near them. I guess ducks just have their preferences!​

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Ok, Thanks guys. I was thinking about a "conjugal visit" and you both just confirmed that. At first I thought, maybe it's just happening when I'm not watching... but I spent a little time yesterday really watching them and I'm sure now that he's ignoring her. I'll seperate a little in the morning and see what happens. (I have a feeling the drake is going to just stand at the pen and the enclosed female is going to get very vocal about her confinement.)


After candling yesterday, I'm SURE this is what's going on.

Maybe I'll put a bow in her hair and a little spritzer under her wings for good measure. Or maybe a necklace of peas...

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

no, then he would eat the peas.......... Lol!
BTW mallard ducks often go off in pairs, and maybe they just picked eachother and maybe you need another mallard drake?

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Quote:
I was wondering that too. But this drake is a little aggressive and I think he would go after another male. That's the only thing I'm worried about with that one. And by "aggressive" I mean, he likes to try to chase us and then run away, and he thinks he's tough stuff when the dog sniffs their cage. He also had a chicken he liked to chase all around.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
I was wondering that too. But this drake is a little aggressive and I think he would go after another male. That's the only thing I'm worried about with that one. And by "aggressive" I mean, he likes to try to chase us and then run away, and he thinks he's tough stuff when the dog sniffs their cage. He also had a chicken he liked to chase all around.

Well, you can put a fence inbetween the two drakes. Or like the other person said, take the hen that is getting the attention away, out of sight, and leave that drake with the other one? I have never have mallards, so I dont know much about them.

 

[mandelyn]

Yes, some mallards will pair up and leave extra females.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Well, I'm going to go separate them and see what happens.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
Ok, let us know how it all go's!