Ducks suddenly fighting/ chasing eachother

[Sierra67]

I have 4 females and one drake that have all been together for just over a year, never had any problems with them they all got along great. A couple weeks ago I added 4 more ducklings (not 100% sure the sexes yet I know one is a female) they don’t share a house yet but they all free range outside in the last couple days I’ve noticed my older ducks are starting to fight and push eachother around last night my girls where chasing eachother, one of them chased the drake and then the drake chased her back. Again they’ve never done this before. Does anyone know what is going on and how to stop them? I don’t think it has anything to do with the younger ones I just added because I’ve done it before with no problems.

 

[ruthhope]

Duck behavior!! Pecking order, establishing dominance -- and that can change over time.

My son has 3 pekins that brooded together 18 months ago. He always said the little crested female was bossy as she is very loud at all times of day and night. The drake has a protective role, keeping a look out for predators, and stands back and lets the girls eat first.

In the last few months, the little crested has got even louder ( I would not have thought that possible, but it was!) And she pecks at the chest of both the drake and the other female while shouting loudly. She often chases them away from the kiddie pool. She is at her loudest and bossiest when the drake is mounting the other female. Although she has lost crest and neck feathers and has soft tissue swellings on her back from the drake's feet, she only wants him to mount her.

Ducks are just like that.

Unless any of your ducks are hurt/injured, don't worry. And as long as rough behavior isn't metered out to the ducklings, just let them be. The dynamics will change over time.

Also, duck sex hormone levels are cyclical and should be waning now. So the rough behavior is likely to lessen for a few months