Drakes fight to the death?

[chris330r]

The murderer duck came back late this afternoon and he's been sitting at the bank looking out at the water for the longest time. It's kind of eerie how he just sits there staring out at the water where he killed the duck. I wonder what he's thinking? Remorse? Victory? I know it's just a duck and they don't think like we do, but the way he's just looking out at the water like that is creepy.

He won't dare come near my patio either. I think he knows I hate him now! Here he is---he hasn't moved for over an hour----just sits still looking to where he killed the other duck. It's chilling.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are there other Muscovy? I know what he did is awful, especially to us humans, but this kind of stuff goes on everywhere this time of year. Geese ducks and no telling what else are fighting for dominance. We can't fault them for that that is the way they were made. I would have never asked my husband to take care of this one Drake but when he started coming up to the house after Ernie we didn't have a choice. Sure we could have caught him and given him away but then he would have been someone else's problem.
That Drake makes me think of my own, I know if I was to bring in another Muscovy the flock dynamics would be awful. So I don't let mine hatch. That way I don't have to worry about any more drakes.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I’m sorry you had to witness part of nature
Some are more aggressive then others
You said it was the king that died and maybe he had been beating the other one for years and he finally got an edge up and took it
I myself wouldn’t punish that drake as animals are much different then humans
Males fight to the death in many breeds
Lions , deers
Moose ducks roosters ect
Something that we don’t understand because we are not animals
I don’t own Muscovy ducks I have regular breeds and my 3 boys will bicker but nothing crazy ever
I do separate my dad drake from the other 2 at night as a closed off duck house can lead to nowhere to run so I eliminate that possibility

 

[chris330r]

Are there other Muscovy? I know what he did is awful, especially to us humans, but this kind of stuff goes on everywhere this time of year. Geese ducks and no telling what else are fighting for dominance. We can't fault them for that that is the way they were made. I would have never asked my husband to take care of this one Drake but when he started coming up to the house after Ernie we didn't have a choice. Sure we could have caught him and given him away but then he would have been someone else's problem.
That Drake makes me think of my own, I know if I was to bring in another Muscovy the flock dynamics would be awful. So I don't let mine hatch. That way I don't have to worry about any more drakes.

Until this incident I had absolutely no idea the Drakes can be this dangerous to each other. It was an eye opener and hard lesson to learn about their world.
There are a bunch of Muscovys that have been hanging around here for many years and greet me each morning when I pull the curtains on the patio windows. But for the past 2 days, strangely none of them have come around. I wonder if they're afraid of the new King?
The male/female ratio has always been uneven among them with about 5 big Drakes to 2 females and just recently i've seen them in the water holding one of the female's head under to mate with her. The other one is smart and knows how to get away. But lately, the mated female only comes around at sundown for food and keeps her head down with her feathers ruffled while vigorously shaking her tail back and forth. She looks pretty angry, as if saying to the others "Keep away from me!"
She's my favorite of the bunch because she's had so many clutches over the years and has been a fiercely protective Mama to all of them.
I've watched her successfully fight off big egrets that wanted her babies and her babies have had babies too so I call her Grandma now lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like she is broody. She may have a nest somewhere close by.

It always seems like there are more drakes than females.
I love my drakes, I just know too many spoil the flock. Not much you can do about it when they are feral and not belonging to anyone. But they did at one time.

 

[chris330r]

Sounds like she is broody. She may have a nest somewhere close by.

It always seems like there are more drakes than females.
I love my drakes, I just know too many spoil the flock. Not much you can do about it when they are feral and not belonging to anyone. But they did at one time.

I had to do a search on "broody" as i'm just a novice where ducks are concerned, but I just saw a video of a broody Muscovy and her behavior was exactly like this one is with the fluffed feathers and fanned shaking tail so she's definitely laying eggs somewhere. I love learning these things.

What do you mean "they did at one time"? I don't think these ducks ever belonged to anyone before. In fact, here in central Florida I see feral Muscovys everywhere that there's water. I believe nearly all of them are wild and feral.

But I love the Drakes too and they can be the friendliest animals and are just like dogs sometimes how they get close and wag their tail when they'd see me. Whenever i'd feed the old king who was killed, he would always look so happy and lift his head up and down at me as if to say "thank you!". I sure miss him.

Here's a photo taken just last month of the dearly departed old king next to one of the 2 females. (I'm pretty sure she's Grandma's daughter).

 

[Miss Lydia]

What I mean is at one time these original Muscovy were most likely owned by someone and they either flew off or were dumped then those had ducklings and so on and so on now they are all feral. The only place where they are protected and considered wild is in a certain part of Texas. Those evidentially migrate back and forth from South America to the US.

 

[chris330r]

What I mean is at one time these original Muscovy were most likely owned by someone and they either flew off or were dumped then those had ducklings and so on and so on now they are all feral. The only place where they are protected and considered wild is in a certain part of Texas. Those evidentially migrate back and forth from South America to the US.

Oh now I understand. I had no idea and thought they were always feral creatures like birds are. So they must have adapted over many generations out in the wild to be able to thrive so well on their own. I do love that they're free to go where they please over belonging to anyone. They come to visit me, get food and then go on their merry way until next time I see them. I like that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They really are such awesome birds!

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

"Devil's Advocate"

The drake that was killed may have been ill and the other duck killed him out of a kind of compassion I have seen among Muscovy hens.

I had two girls who adored each other, but when one of them got (deathly) sick the sister attacked her , there was something about seeing her suffer that she found intolerable.

The "killer" is likely in mourning, I have seen several birds mourn the loss of a fellow.