Female Duck Aggression

[ak4ducks]

This is my first season having ducks so I’m new and looking for some advice.

We raised 10 female ducklings and when they got older (4 months) we sold 5 since they were getting too noisy for the neighbors.

I only have 5 left, whom I try to spoil with good feed, supplements, treats etc

A few days ago I noticed the white layer gets along with 3 others (mixed breeds) but singles out my buff duck. She consistently nips at her and excludes her from the group. I know ducks are social so the buff one must be sad. I’ve tried increasing their food/water in case she was anxious but I don’t want it to go on in case the buff one becomes sad or injured.

Any advice on how I can get the white layer to accept the buff duck?

 

[sourland]

Sadly ducks just like most animals have favorites and those they don't particularly like. It is possible that she may never accept the buff, and it may be necessary to rehome one or the other.

 

[416bigbore]

They also have a pecking order within their little group so this is not unusual behavior to see. As long as no one is getting seriously hurt, they should be fine and will work it out.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The best way to think of ducks is like they are highschool teenagers. You have your extra sexual males/females, you have your cliques/pecking order, you have some bullies, you have ones that just follow the crowd and do what they're told and then you have the more shy ones who wander off by themselves. If your buff suddenly starts coming up with injuries there would be cause for concern and need for removal, but as long as she isn't being injured and still allowed to eat/drink by the others it's just their pecking order being established/maintained.

 

[ak4ducks]

Thank you all! I’ll keep a close eye on her well being and separate them if needed

 

[KaleIAm]

I have this going on in my flock, too. I only have 3 ducks, and they've lived together for over 5 years. They all loved each other and lived together peacefully until last year when one of their flock mates passed away. That is when one of the flock began pecking at another. Mostly it is about resources. Food, water, and me. They never actually fight or hurt each other, the middle dominant duck just pecks at the less dominant duck and the less dominant duck goes away.

I just make sure there are plenty of water and food bowls so that if the less dominant duck gets pecked away from one she can go to another. And if I'm around I put my hand in between them... But I realize most ducks aren't tame enough for that.

 

[ak4ducks]

Interesting. Perhaps it was loosing the others that started it. I’ll try giving her some extra attention and maybe the white layer will adjust to the new set up. I hope yours settle in too

 

[ak4ducks]

Update: I let them out of their (625sq/ft) enclosure to forage in the yard and I think the uncertainty of it helped the white layer appreciate being part of a flock. She’s been much nicer to the buff and let’s her sleep with them now. That or the white layer just calmed down and adjusted