Drake or no drake?

[mamdoe]

I am new to ducks. I have had chickens for years, along with a few roosters (which didn't last long I decided to start with ducks for a couple of reasons, they are adorable! Eggs. And pet.
All along I have been saying that if any of our ducklings turned out to be a boy we would not keep him. But I'm wondering...what are drakes really like?
I find my hens to be friendlier when roosters are not around. Can the same be said for ducks?
Thanks

 

[NCBantam22]

Drakes don't really have any "cons" Most drakes aren't agressive and they don't crow (actually quieter than the female ducks). The only "con" would be that they don't lay eggs. With a drake your eggs are fertilized so you can hatch ducklings and don't have to buy from the hatchery again, unless you need to introduce unrelated birds for future matings.

 

[mamdoe]

Thanks! I guess my biggest concern is a drake around my chickens..I hear they can really hurt them.
Obviously, if I end up with more drakes than ducks..some will have to go. So, how have you all handled rehoming them? Craigslist?

 

[Finny]

Thanks! I guess my biggest concern is a drake around my chickens..I hear they can really hurt them.
Obviously, if I end up with more drakes than ducks..some will have to go. So, how have you all handled rehoming them? Craigslist?

Your drakes should not go after your chickens if you have enough females for him. Three females for every drake is the best amount. As far as drakes go, I love them! I keep a flock of all drakes actually, two cayugas and one magpie. They are VERY queit and they make great pets! Mine will follow me around the yard, let me pet and pick them up, and they crawl up onto my lap if I sit down. I can't speak for females since I don't have any but I am pretty sure they can be just as affectionate as drakes. Good luck

 

[Going Quackers]

Drakes can be aggressive, it depends on their personality and how they are raised... i am real drake heavy here... so can speak from experience, they can harm chicken hens, now that said mine don't touch mine but they house separate but all free range together..

Drakes change your flock dynamics, you also have to be sure not to have too many males vs females otherwise they can harm, over breed and just generally harass the females. I funny enough said the same thing, NO drakes, will sell extras lol... many years later! i own quite a few..

 

[NCBantam22]

Thanks! I guess my biggest concern is a drake around my chickens..I hear they can really hurt them.
Obviously, if I end up with more drakes than ducks..some will have to go. So, how have you all handled rehoming them? Craigslist?

Yes, drakes with very few or no hen ducks, may try to breed your hen chickens. Ducks because they mostly mate in the water breed different. A drake has a penis unlike a rooster, which will harm chickens, as far as rehomjng I sell them at the feed store or eat them.

 

[mamdoe]

Thanks for all the info! I guess it will just have to be a wait and see kind of thing.
I have 2 two week old Pekin and just got 3 day old Indian Runners. Ultimately I'd like to have 2-3 ducks...so hers hoping at least a few of them are girls!
With chickens I can usually tell by 2 weeks old if it's a roo, so it's hard not knowing with these ducks!

 

[Finny]

Thanks for all the info! I guess it will just have to be a wait and see kind of thing.
I have 2 two week old Pekin and just got 3 day old Indian Runners. Ultimately I'd like to have 2-3 ducks...so hers hoping at least a few of them are girls!
With chickens I can usually tell by 2 weeks old if it's a roo, so it's hard not knowing with these ducks!

With ducks you can probably tell the gender by three to four weeks old. Females will start honking and males will still be peeping.

 

[KelliG]

I bought four Rouen ducklings last November with two turning out female and two being male (plan to order some pre-sexed ducklings this June, a few more females).

My drakes are both very sweet, and are always up front in case you have food for them. Their quacking is definitely more pleasant then the females, who have an obnoxious honking yell. The males are more like a nice chatter.

The only downside I have with them is that now that the females are laying eggs and they are breeding, they get protective every now and then. One of the males likes to chase my dog off, who has been with them since I first got them, and wants to be near them.

Don't really have aggression issues with mine, they are actually more social then the females are. However, they both have "quirks". One of them hates white shoes, and will not leave anyone who has white shoes alone. The other hates scrub pants (which I have to wear to school and work). They don't so much attack, but they will plant themselves in front of people and obsess over the items, and have tripped people in the past. I am not sure this is normal though!

I wasn't pleased about two being males at first, but they have grown on me with their odd tendencies.

 

[Sissy Farms]

We had drakes and ducks and I honestly like the drakes more. They seem to have more personality and are friendlier. They live with my chickens, including a few roosters and we have never had a problem.