Ducks - Time to Re-home the Drake?

[Lanklow5790]

Hi! We have a drake Pekin; a female Runner, and a very small female Mallard (wild, but raised by us since day one). All of them are about 6 months old.

They are free range in our suburban backyard, but in their house and run at night.

Pekin is the leader of the flock. He likes to mate, but doesn’t seem like a crazed maniac. No signs of missing neck feathers, nor blood. Recently, however, the Mallard seems stressed - puffy head feathers, hiding. Pekin seems to mate most often with the Runner (who appears willing the majority of the time). If the Pekin mates with the little Mallard less often, but when they do, the size difference is obvious and significant - and the Mallard has never appeared willing, but tries to run and escape.

Is it time to re-home the Pekin? I’m concerned about if I’m overly humanizing the ducks, and/or how to know it’s no longer working to have all 3. (Also not sure that we have the space to separate the Pekin from the females.)

Suggestions and opinions are appreciated. Thanks for your time!

 

[chickens really]

Having Birds should be fun. If it's causing you stress get rid of the Drake. He probably is stressing the little Hen too.

 

[DucksOhio]

Can you possibly get more girls?

 

[Lanklow5790]

Having Birds should be fun. If it's causing you stress get rid of the Drake. He probably is stressing the little Hen too.

Thank you! I am poring over the forums and trying to figure out how to best care for the ducks as it’s all a new learning curve for us.

 

[Lanklow5790]

Can you possibly get more girls?

No, but I appreciate your suggestion. ... I don’t think we have the space. We’re still learning about raising ducks... so I’m second and third-guessing so much. The Pekin mates with the Runner, but he doesn’t seem as aggressive toward her as he is with the Mallard. We separated the Mallard from the Runner and Pekin last night, and after letting them all out to free range this morning, we separated them again. The Pekin was chasing the Mallard (who was trying to hide in bushes). Got the Mallard back into the safety of the run, and the Pekin continues to pace back and forth at the run.

Pekin isn’t being dominant with me nor my children... just this Mallard.

 

[Loopeend]

Hard question since it hits at home.

I have Indians and one half-wild Indian mix. But she is just a really small wild duck. You couldn't tell that she was half indian if you didn't knew. She dislikes all the men coming over here. I have had thoughts that it was size. But getting to know her better; it's not. She has a very dominate character; she wants to be the boss (and is a great one). She does not like mating with drakes; because the drake makes it a powerplay. The drake wants to naturally protects and hoard his women; but she likes her freedom. She likes to tell the group where to go and what to do. The drake is competition on that field. It allways ends in the drake pecking her whenever he gets the chance because he wants her to be in line; just like the other lady's, and he does not understand why she does not comply. She runs and quacks loud by the mere sight of the drake (every drake we ever had).

Long story short;
You say he mates gently. It might not be him; but her. Sometimes they have to fight this kind of stuff out themselves. It could help to get another duck and raise it solely with this tiny duck. Or get a another female duck for him. Stir up the hierachy roles. Get some new personality's in there. We had more luck when he got a traumtised female that is really claiming and jealous. She does not like him being with other female ducks and non-stop asks for his attention. Resulting in that this smaller duck can most of the time just boss around the rest of the ducks how she likes. ???
Humanizing ducks is not allway wrong. We humans are also just group-animals; and what we think of ourselfs and what role we have is often created by who we hang around.