Fighting Drakes

[Tracy W]

I have three drakes that are one year old. They were hatched together and lived peacefully as brothers for 11 months. One day the Alpha started bullying the other two. Within a short amount of time the other two quickly turned on the Alpha and started bullying him. I’ve had to keep them separated within the same coop as I put a divider between them so that they can’t attack. I let them out separately to swim, run and forage. I tried letting them out together every day but they automatically jump on each other and start fighting. The strange thing is they hate to be separated! They talk to each other and stay together inside the coop if I let one out he will stay by the coop hoping that the others will come out to “play”....as soon as they are all free they attack What should I do? Will this stop?

 

[sourland]

Drakes are extremely sexual creatures. The 'jumping on each other' is misdirected mating behavior. Sadly this generally continues throughout the breeding season.

 

[fatty and friends]

they’ll be fine as long as nobody is actually getting hurt, my boys have been together since hatch and are now over two years old and are still best friends (they occasionally fight, but even my two girls will do that with each other)

 

[Tracy W]

Drakes are extremely sexual creatures. The 'jumping on each other' is misdirected mating behavior. Sadly this generally continues throughout the breeding season.

They are pulling at each others feathers as well. Do they not realize they cant mate??

 

[SolarDuck]

They are pulling at each others feathers as well. Do they not realize they cant mate??

Ducks will mate with whatever duck available, even if it is the same sex. Just keep an eye on them and make sure no one is actually getting hurt from it.

 

[DukesDucks]

My 2 drakes and 8 ducks live peacefully together all year except during mating season. For the second year in a row, I have had to set up a second coop and run, and separate the drakes. While there is often some subtle dominance posturing, the other day the drakes got in such a fight I had to use a plastic garbage can to separate them. It was frightening to see and both ended up with a few lost feathers and minor scrapes.
The flock has naturally divided itself into two groups while they are free ranging so I put the girls with the drake they usually hang out with. Both groups get to spend separate free range time, although one of the drakes wastes it by spending most of his time walking the fence line of the other run.
I know I'll have to maintain this separation for weeks and maybe months until things settle down again.
I suggest using the search tab at the top right corner of this page. Use advanced search and put in 'drakes' and 'jerks'. You will see that you are not alone.