Drakes or hens. Pics

[ClintDowns]

So what could happen or what would happen if I just kept the two drakes and the two hens. I am just asking. I can maybe find a few more ducks. Icanndefinitely get rid of the blue Swedish drake.

 

[Mum]

The drakes would fight for top position and also over the females. The females would be put to heavy use (by the drakes) when it comes to being mated and could end up injured or worse.

Having said that, it is not unheard of for them to pair up and live happily together; but that is the rarer possibility.

 

[jdywntr]

Mum is right, they could be fine but you would be wise to have a back up plan just in case. It all really depends on the drakes. Sometimes, even one drake is too much for 1 or 2 hens.

To your earlier question, yest you could clean them like a quail and just remove the breast. Many mallard hunters do that. They are smaller breeds so you wouldn't be losing too much leg and thigh meat. If you've ever processed a chicken, they are basically the same just more feathers. WAY more feathers. I skinned most of mine.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

yes yes yes you can freezer camp just like a quail. Look on craigs list for some ducks available. The khakis will forage very well and are top egg layers, love ours to bits.

 

[newbyduckmom]

Add more ducks or keep the drakes separate from the ladies....may just save the ladies lives.

 

[zooweemama]

If you want to keep the 2 drakes you will need to add more ducks. I have 14 ducks total- 11 females and 3 males. The night before yesterday I saw ONE drake mate 5 times in about 15 minutes. 5 different ducks. I cannot and do not want to imagine what it would be like if there were only 1 to 2 ducks for him to do that with. He would pull all her back and head feathers out, she would be a scabby mess, and would be horribly overmated (with ducks it's more like rape than a pleasant encounter). My ducks run terrified and hide now from the males and I have 11 girls to the 3 boys. Please please add more ladies. Domesticated duck drakes are mating monsters (I just mean they mate. all. the. time. especially the first couple years I am reading) and having more ladies will keep ALL the ladies healthier and happier. Just offering my two cents. If you do a quick search on the site here you can see so many threads where people did not do this and their ducks were in horrible shape- some died.

 

[critters]

I think you have some good looking duck!

good luck!.....just get more ducks/hens...

 

[zooweemama]

I just wanted to add that I am not trying to villainize the drakes. They are what they are. But we need to understand that and work with it, rather than trying to fit them into our box if that makes sense?

I listened to everyone when they said to make sure my numbers were within a certain amount. I re-homed 3 of my drakes to get my numbers down. IF for any reason I see my ladies getting way too much of a workout I am all over Craigslist looking for a couple more ladies to add. We like our drakes and really want to keep the ones we have BUT the health of the whole flock is more important than me wanting to keep all my drakes...so if my Pekin drake (he's the superstar right now mounting all the ladies left and right) starts harming any of my ladies- he's outtie.

If you add a few more (4 or more is best) ladies - it would be the kindest thing you could do for your ducks. All the way around. Stressed out ducks aren't going to lay well anyway. Good luck!

 

[ClintDowns]

Wow. Thanks zooweemama. You just have me a ton of schooling on the ducks. I will definitely be putting MR BLUE in freezer camp and then I will be looking for some more ducks. I haut can't seem to find any right now. There are plenty of babies but none that big enough for mating.