Dreadful Daffodil

[tia]

My Daffodil is picking on my buff runner, Buffy. I don't know what to do. I put all the drakes in one side of the pen and all the hens in the other. I can't put her with three drakes. I think she would do this even if I found a new home for her. Do you ever put a duck down, just because she is mean. I'm about to that point - poor Buffy is missing most of her feathers... Daffodil just follows her around and pecks at her.

 

[ChicagoDucks]

We had a mean drake that went to the local processor because he was so mean. He'd chase me and nip at me, chase the dog and nip her ears, but what really did him in was that he tried to kill our ducklings, even after we tried a bunch of flock integration tricks. He was handsome, but oh well, his departure made space in the flock for a nicer, more productive duck.

 

[Amiga]

I would not put her down, no. I might wonder about it. But in my experience, ducks have a sophisticated, complicated social structure, and it is dynamic. So I would look into rehoming Daffodil with someone who has the experience and setup to make adjustments and is willing to try. Some of us love a challenge, especially if it means saving an animal.

I was concerned about Romy after Michele died. The runners picked on her. They did not stop completely when I introduced the coffees (three more buffs, including a drake).

About five weeks later, Romy is not being picked on, she and Hazel, one of the new buffs seem to be becoming friends, and everyone has settled down.

 

[tia]

I'm willing to try... I'm just so frustrated with her. I put the drakes in a different area thinking that might take care of the problem. Do you have any other suggestions. At this point buffy has two tail feathers, and almost no wing feathers.

 

[Amiga]

I would get buffy into a separate area, even if it is a nontraditional kind of space, as long as she has food, water, bedding, warmth, etc. for a couple of days, just to get her away from daffodil.

And I would contact people who might be willing to try to work with daffodil, pour myself some nice hot herbal tea, and pray for inspiration. Maybe you can connect through the Where Am I Where Are You forum.

What breeds are we talking about? Same? One runner one ancona?

 

[tia]

We are talking about two runners. I have had Daffy from the beginning. She was hatched in an incubator with some of my other runners. I ordered Buffy and Blue (a blue runner drake) and got them as adults. So I had five girls and blue. Buffy was pretty attached to Blue as they were shipped together. Daffy attached herself to him and would not leave his side followed him all over the place and became pretty possessive. That is why I thought splitting up the drakes and the hens might fix things. But she is still picking on Buffy even though the drakes are in another area. I will try taking Buffy out. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.