Feather pecking in pool, ducks

[familyties]

Hi! I'm new to raising ducks and chickens. We have 3 Welsh Harlequin ducks & 8 chicks. The ducks are about 3 months old and we are supposed to have 2 hens and one drake. Saturday we moved them to a new yard with some fresh sprouts growing and a bigger pool. The seemed to be having a blast in the pool for a while. Then I noticed the male swimming in circles and rubbing his neck on the edge of the trough. He wasn't getting out of the water but the other two were going in and out. I went to check on him and saw his back side was picked bare are bloody. I lifted him out and he didn't resist. Just felt limp and was shaking. He couldn't stand up so I put him inside under a heat lamp away from the other ducks. Once he warmed up he stopped shaking and could stand. He started eating again Sunday. His back stabbed over and is re growing feathers now. What could have caused this? The new pool? Why would the hens gang up on him? Can they live together again? Here is a picture I took of them swimming before we realized there was a problem. I have a video too which I don't see how to post. You can see the picking happening some in that. Thanks!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! I'm afraid I'm not a duck keeper but please do post in the duck section of the forum. Here is the link ~https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks
I'm sure the duck keepers there will be able to help you with your drake and the pecking.
To post a video you need to upload it to you tube or something similar then copy and paste the video using the film reel icon above.

Wishing you the very best of luck, I hope you are able to get them all back together and living in harmony again soon.

Enjoy BYC

 

[NickyKnack]

Hello!

Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to joined the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around BYC.

 

[familyties]

Thank you all! I'm happy to be joining you all! I've wanted chickens forever... It worked out at last!

 

[familyties]

I reposted in the duck thread, will work on the video. Thanks!!

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

 

[familyties]

My post on the duck page isn't working. Keeps saying invalid editor? Here's the video in case any duck folks see this

 

[drumstick diva]

I just checked out your video and they look really cute in the pool. I didn't really see them pecking at his back end though. Is it possible he was sore ,like that before he got into the pool, maybe from another reason? Is it possible one of the girls is really another drake and harassing him? You can see I am not a scholar of Duck knowledge . Please post on the "Duck thread," where you should be able to get the best advice. He is a cute little guy.

 

[familyties]

Sadly this is now a moot issue. The two hens got picked off today, in broad daylight, with an electric fence... So now we have one drake, 8 chicks and clearly an unsafe enclosure. What would just eat their heads in broad daylight? So sad...