Have you used drake jail?

[Conan]

Very cool! I 100% agree with your method. Very smart to remove the drake.
I once introduced a small group of Magpie ducklings to my larger group (five hens, one drake) and it went poorly. They had been penned next to each other for months, seemed fine but as soon as I put them in with the adults, my drake viciously attacked one of the young Magpie girls. Tore her up badly. He was separated from the group and all was well. Tried reintroduction a month or so later and he attacked her again. No interest in mating her, (in fact, years later, she is still not favored by the drakes - lucky her) he just attacked her. He was permanently removed. I was bummed as he was a gorgeous Cayuga drake, just beautiful, but he always had a nasty side. He became fertilizer in the garden

 

[Table4Six]

I know I'm a little late to this conversation, but I have 4 8-9 week old juvenile ducks: 1 silver appleyard call duck, 1 magpie call duck, 1 blue/white ancona, and 1 black/white ancona. What I thought was 3 hens and a 1 drake turned out to one hen (appleyard call) and 3 drakes. They were living peacefully with my 21 other adult females, but I began to realize the 3 young drakes were only starting to show interest in the little call duck pullet because they were raised with her. I knew this could turn into catastrophe if they only wanted to breed her. She only weighs about a pound and the 2 ancona drakes are very big ducks. So, I moved all three young drakes to a separate pen for about a week know so Willow, the call duck pullet, can fully integrate with the rest of the hens. Luckily, the drakes aren't aggressive and get along well together, but I will leave them separate until Willow is entirely integrated the my other hens.

Your ducks are beautiful, @PirateGirl!

 

[Table4Six]

Very cool! I 100% agree with your method. Very smart to remove the drake.
I once introduced a small group of Magpie ducklings to my larger group (five hens, one drake) and it went poorly. They had been penned next to each other for months, seemed fine but as soon as I put them in with the adults, my drake viciously attacked one of the young Magpie girls. Tore her up badly. He was separated from the group and all was well. Tried reintroduction a month or so later and he attacked her again. No interest in mating her, (in fact, years later, she is still not favored by the drakes - lucky her) he just attacked her. He was permanently removed. I was bummed as he was a gorgeous Cayuga drake, just beautiful, but he always had a nasty side. He became fertilizer in the garden

I used to have a cayuga drake and he would chase just about anything that moved, including other drakes and my hens. I had to give him away.

 

[Conan]

I used to have a cayuga drake and he would chase just about anything that moved, including other drakes and my hens. I had to give him away.

I wonder if it's common with Cayugas... He was really not unlike all drakes with his original crew, but any new birds introduced were just viciously and relentlessly attacked. I will say that the longer I have ducks, the stronger distaste for drakes I have. If I didn't hatch my own eggs, I wouldn't have one.

 

[Table4Six]

It does seem like cayuga drakes tend to be a more aggressive breed, but then, it could just be the birds genetics.

 

[PirateGirl]

I know I'm a little late to this conversation, but I have 4 8-9 week old juvenile ducks: 1 silver appleyard call duck, 1 magpie call duck, 1 blue/white ancona, and 1 black/white ancona. What I thought was 3 hens and a 1 drake turned out to one hen (appleyard call) and 3 drakes. They were living peacefully with my 21 other adult females, but I began to realize the 3 young drakes were only starting to show interest in the little call duck pullet because they were raised with her. I knew this could turn into catastrophe if they only wanted to breed her. She only weighs about a pound and the 2 ancona drakes are very big ducks. So, I moved all three young drakes to a separate pen for about a week know so Willow, the call duck pullet, can fully integrate with the rest of the hens. Luckily, the drakes aren't aggressive and get along well together, but I will leave them separate until Willow is entirely integrated the my other hens.

Your ducks are beautiful, @PirateGirl!

My ducklings are about the same age as yours. I too am hoping that once all the girls integrate with each other that the drake will see them all as part of his flock and not single anyone out. Good luck with your flock integration, hopefully everyone can eventually live peacefully together!

 

[Table4Six]

I'm hoping the same. Just glad that for the time being at least I don't have to worry about drake aggression. Good luck.

 

[PirateGirl]

The drake is still in jail, but the hens and ducklings are doing great together! No real drama. Everyone is happily sharing food and water and pool time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Pretty girls too!

 

[PirateGirl]

Pretty girls too!

Thanks! I didn't realize how tattered the feather on the older girls were getting from the drake until I put everyone together.

Also the ducklings are very interested in the eggs the older girls are laying and I suspect they are responsible for a few broken/eaten/missing eggs what can be done about this? This whole integration has been longer and more challenging than I'd realized it would be. My chicken integration last spring was quick and easy by comparison!