Drake to hen ratio

i have 5 ducks who are my babies so i would never give them away so i keep two flocks

one with my two older boys together and one with one drake and two hens
 
I had 6 hens to 2 drakes and it was too much. Bald spots, ducks always being chased etc. Both of the drakes were looking mean. I removed one of them and immediately it all changed. No more bald spots or chasing, everyone happy.

Now I have 4 hens that are going in to their second winter, and from the spring ducklings I have 2 drakes and a hen joining the flock. Hoping that the older hens will keep the young drakes in line.
 
I don't have experience with the ideal ratio, as I don't keep drakes. But if you do intend on having both genders I definitely recommend not pushing the limits. Personally, I would even have more girls than recommend to be extra careful. My precious duck was damaged by excessive drake attention before I got her over 5 years ago. She still has health problems because of it. Sometimes people can get away with non ideal ratios, but when they don't the results can be fatal for the girl ducks. I don't think it is worth it to find out.
 
In nature, male to female duck ratio is equal at birth, 50-50. And it seems to work for them. I wonder what force shifts this ratio to a preferable 1:3 when the same ducks are kept in one's backyard? And is there a way to counter this force instead of "hoarding" females (for the lack of a better word) and making a lot of male ducks sad and lonely?
 
In nature, male to female duck ratio is equal at birth, 50-50. And it seems to work for them. I wonder what force shifts this ratio to a preferable 1:3 when the same ducks are kept in one's backyard? And is there a way to counter this force instead of "hoarding" females (for the lack of a better word) and making a lot of male ducks sad and lonely?
One thing is that most domestic ducks can't fly well, wild ducks can just fly away from unwanted attention but domestics can't so they get mounted repeatedly.
 
One thing is that most domestic ducks can't fly well, wild ducks can just fly away from unwanted attention but domestics can't so they get mounted repeatedly.
x2

Plus being confined to pens with no where to escape to.

I have an additional theory that the mating drive of drakes might be increased with the selective breeding to get duck hens to increase egg production.
 

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