Drakes suddenly being mean to other ducks

[Cocolady]

Hello,
Am looking for some help and advise:



I have a total of 9 call ducks 3 males and 6 girls.
3 whites Stick together a boy and 2 girls they are my original ones. Then I hatched another white last yr and bought an apricot to keep her co. Then I bought 4 more last yr , 2 pairs. I just noticed that 3 of my new ducks in particular the 2 boys are picking on the whites, in particular the 3 original ones... They are hunting them out of the pond etc and the whites don't want to go into their house with them at locking up time... This never happened before. Is it because of the breeding season ?? Will it settle down?? I hate seeing others been picked on. The apricot one is fine with them so I wonder is it because they are white?? It seems like 2 separate gangs at the
Moment .... Am new to this so any advise would be great.. Thanks a lot..

 

[I Love Layers]

I always found that they were aggressive a lot during breeding season. Some drakes are more aggressive then others.

What I am worried about is your male to female ratios! Drakes will get mean during breeding season and with that ratio I could see a duck getting killed.

I would watch and see, I would start looking into getting rid of some of the drakes or get quite a few more ducks.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Breeding season is beginning. You will notice lots of raping/mating and the boys will fight, on occasion, if not enough males to sob over,hens will fight too, but your male ration sounds good, but hen ratio, bad.

You could look into separating them, it sounds necessary. The drakes can kill the hens if they pile on top of them, they'll drown her.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I have been readinga nd read their 3rd spring is a lot more calm and they do les fighting, and raping.

 

[Cocolady]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

The thing is the new drakes are also being mean to the White ducks not just the drake.

They seem to get on okay during the day as they have enough room to stay away from one another and I saw them all sleeping next to one another today it seems to be close to sleeping time and they also won't let them in the same pond but luckily I have two ponds. The thing is these 3 never mixed with any of the new ones they stick just together.

I am getting 2 new ducks this year how many more should I get... I hate getting rid of any as never know where they are going and we have natural spring ponds for them and lively big area for them.. But I also can't have this happening. Tonight when I went to lock up the 4 whites were in the hens run and didn't want to go into their own house...

 

[I Love Layers]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

The thing is the new drakes are also being mean to the White ducks not just the drake.

They seem to get on okay during the day as they have enough room to stay away from one another and I saw them all sleeping next to one another today it seems to be close to sleeping time and they also won't let them in the same pond but luckily I have two ponds. The thing is these 3 never mixed with any of the new ones they stick just together.

I am getting 2 new ducks this year how many more should I get... I hate getting rid of any as never know where they are going and we have natural spring ponds for them and lively big area for them.. But I also can't have this happening. Tonight when I went to lock up the 4 whites were in the hens run and didn't want to go into their own house...

For ducks I and most people recomend a 1-5 ratio or more. So with 3 drakes you would need 15 ducks all together.

 

[Cocolady]

Just to add the new coloured drakes do not try and breed with the whites at all... They don't take as much notice of the white duck I hatched she can go in the same pond as them but they are super mean to the other 3, is it because their is a drake with the 2 ducks ...

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

The thing is the new drakes are also being mean to the White ducks not just the drake.

They seem to get on okay during the day as they have enough room to stay away from one another and I saw them all sleeping next to one another today it seems to be close to sleeping time and they also won't let them in the same pond but luckily I have two ponds. The thing is these 3 never mixed with any of the new ones they stick just together.

I am getting 2 new ducks this year how many more should I get... I hate getting rid of any as never know where they are going and we have natural spring ponds for them and lively big area for them.. But I also can't have this happening. Tonight when I went to lock up the 4 whites were in the hens run and didn't want to go into their own house...

You will have ducks who will clique up,it is common,sometimes no mad drakes clique together and just go around raping any and every duck. Sometimes you will have drakes with 3 or less hens running off together,and seperetang in the pond,it's like mini dates for ducks.

You do not necessarily need in exact ratio,not all the hens are gonna be liked nor paired with,possibly their whole entire life.Of course now,they switch up every year,sometimes.

 

[Cocolady]

No way I would need that many ducks... And when I was buying the new pairs I told the guy how many I already had.... Ohhh might have to get rid of my blue fawn boy so as he is way meanier than the other boy as I can't get that many ducks...

 

[I Love Layers]

No way I would need that many ducks... And when I was buying the new pairs I told the guy how many I already had.... Ohhh might have to get rid of my blue fawn boy so as he is way meanier than the other boy as I can't get that many ducks...

It was a suggestion. And most people will agree with me, some will say 1 to 4 which is also decent but I always just say 1 to 5 just to be safe.

I had a 3 to 12 ratio once. A duck died because 2 drakes grabbed her at the same time and ripped off her skin exposing her esophogaus.