Ducks ganging up on another duck HELP

[lilroud]

Hi all, i got an issue. I have 3 drake ducks, one is a khaki campbell the other two are rouen. They are all about 8 months and all were getting along fine. All tue sudden today the khaki and one of the rouen started beating up on the other rouen. To the point where he stays away from him. No living situation has changed, they have a small pond with fresh water, have food, a good size area to free range. I dont know what changed? Anyone got any ideas? Cause i feel bad for the duck they are being mean too. Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi all, i got an issue. I have 3 drake ducks, one is a khaki campbell the other two are rouen. They are all about 8 months and all were getting along fine. All tue sudden today the khaki and one of the rouen started beating up on the other rouen. To the point where he stays away from him. No living situation has changed, they have a small pond with fresh water, have food, a good size area to free range. I dont know what changed? Anyone got any ideas? Cause i feel bad for the duck they are being mean too. Thanks

You only have the 3 drakes no ducks? I have no idea why they do this other than to prove who is dominant. I see it here with my drakes but not much this time of year with mating season closed for the year. You could try separating the 2 drakes who ganged up on the one and put one with the beat up one and see how that goes. then after a few days if they are getting along try putting him with the other brute. maybe by switching things around some they dominance thing will stop. Or you could try to re home the beat up Rouen. Wish I could help more but duck family dynamics can be hard to understand.

Welcome to BYC

 

[Amiga]

I would separate them with temporary fence so they can see each other but not touch each other. Sometimes drakes will pick on one. Sad, but it can happen.

Sometimes temporary separation changes the problem.

Please keep us up to date.

 

[lilroud]

Well, i got up today and the one being picked on has a wound on his neck. The are seperated now. I just dont understand... can he be sick and the others pick up on it and shoo him away as a natural instinct or something?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, i got up today and the one being picked on has a wound on his neck. The are seperated now. I just dont understand... can he be sick and the others pick up on it and shoo him away as a natural instinct or something?

That can happen too but how has he been been up until this attack by the other 2 drakes, at the age they are I'd say more of hey this guy is down lets give it too him, Clean his wounds let him have a couple days to recoup then try putting one of the other drakes in with him if it's starts again I'd rehome one of them, maybe if you rehome one of the more dominant ones the other would get along with this one better. so hard to know. Make sure they can all still see each other though that's important.

 

[Frank Phinster]

Mating season for mallards is about to start, and rising levels of testosteron are liable to make drakes more competitive. Although I heard that keeping only drakes is not a problem, it might be that the aggressive behaviour is some kind of valve for them since they have no females to keep themselves busy with. It might also be just some sort of personal quirk that suddenly one falls in disgrace. Ducks can sometimes turn into bullies for now appearant reason.

As Amiga and Miss Lydia and Amiga have already advised, seperation with visual contact is the best solution for now.