Drakes to Hen Ratio

[3forfree]

A friend wants me to incubate some of his duck eggs, and after looking at his set up I think he's trying to kill his drake. He has one drake and 10 hens. Not knowing what or when ducks mate, will the drake pick and choose which hens or will he try to do them all. Thanks

 

[duckyfromoz]

In a commercial set up where there are hundreds of ducks- a ratio of 1 drake to ten ducks may be ok- but less likely to work in a smaller flock. Some drakes will stick to their favorites- with some possibly missing out all together. In a small flock with that ratio- fertility could be low. The single drake also has no competition- meaning that he may not be as driven hormonally as drakes in flocks where there is competition for females.

 

[sourland]

If you want to see what too many drakes can do to a hen, go to azhenhouse thread "poor mallard-look at her feet."

 

[2txmedics]

Oh great~ I guess this means that if it happens I will have to put something to cut the run in half....my luck I'll be the one with the problems when it comes to this.

 

[gofasterstripe]

In with my Pekins I have 10 females and at the moment 5 drakes. My oldest drake gets all the females. Tula is next and I have never seen him mount anyone, then I have the 2 young drakes born Jan this year and then my neighbour bought me a drake with 3 females this weekend. My oldest drake had a set too with the new drake but it never came to anything and none of the drakes are fighting. The new drake and Tula are going to the sale this week so I will be left with 1 older and 2 younger drakes with the 10 females.