Getting a drake or not?

[nayeli]

I am planning on getting welsh harlequin ducks and I am debating getting a drake with two ducks. Is it worth it to have a male? Will he harass chickens or over mate with the ducks? I am thinking if I get a drake then I can get meat and eggs from the ducks. I also heard they can keep the ducks happy.

What are your experiences? Better off with or without.

This is for an urban homestead.

 

[nayeli]

Also are welsh harlequins normally loud? I know they were a little noisy in the cage but they were pretty cooped up there...

 

[Finny]

I have heard drakes will try to mate with chickens when given the chance and this can hurt the chickens. The drake should not overmate the ducks if you have 2 or 3 ducks although 3+ is the recomended amount of ducks per drake.

 

[Amiga]

It is largely up to the drake, so it's hard to know, exactly. Bean seemed fine with his original two girls, and now that we adopted the trio to keep our Romy company, he seems fine with three.

They are buffs.

I have also heard that drakes can try to mate with chickens and seriously harm or kill them.

If you don't need to breed them, maybe stick with all girls. That is what I did when I got the runners. Bean came with his two girls when we adopted, and that has worked out, but not exactly without wrinkles. Here is a little bit of what we went through

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/712646/welcome-to-the-flock-carmella-bean-and-hazel-d

 

[nayeli]

I am a little apprehensive about the drake hurting chickens, and I would like to be able to hatch ducklings which is why I'm toying with the idea. However I have limited space so I would prefer two ducks and one drake.

 

[Finny]

If you want a drake for breeding purposes, i would keep the drake separated from the chickens by penning him up so he does not harm the chickens. The problem is he might get lonely if you plan on letting the females free range, and he wont be able to free range which might make him unhappy.

 

[nayeli]

I think I'm of the opinion that I will get the drake and not get chickens. I wouldn't really need both chickens and ducks besides that I do have slight alektorophobia so for now at least that is the plan.

 

[Finny]

Sounds like a good plan

. I thought you already had chickens oops!

 

[Ryan521]

This is just my personal experience but when I first got my Welsh harlequins it was as a pair. Both were raised together and with chickens. The drake never over mated the duck or ever attempted to go after the chickens. Oddly enough he seems to stay out of their way whenever possible. Noise wasn't to bad if comparing to my runners.

 

[nayeli]

Thanks Ryan, I'm surprised but around here Welshes are sold in pairs and I have even had a breeder say they won't sell more females then males so I'm guessing this breed isn't in general aggressive as a mater.