Help, duck trying to mate with the chickens..

[hoosiergal40]

I have 4 five month old ducks. 2 males & 2 females.
I also have 6 five month old barred rock pullets. Everyone has been getting along just fine until last week. The dominant drake has started chasing a certain chicken and attempting to mate with her. That chicken is missing several neck feathers. She usually will try her best to avoid the ducks but that drake always finds her. She will lie still on the ground but that only causes the other ducks to bite at her. Just today I moved the drake into a large cage in the barn. I need to see if the other ducks will leave the chicken alone now or if they will still go after her.
They have all been raised together. I have them in our pasture and the ducks have a kiddie swimming pool to swim in. I have a farm pond farther back on our property but the ducks have never visited it. Would a rooster help to deter that drake or would the rooster be afraid of the ducks? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I HAD the same problem. My mallard drake and crested are VERY aggressive. They try to mate with the chickens as well. I had to pen them up away from the other animals. In addition, I had to get 7 females for them. I will move the female ducks with the 2 drakes in a week or so to see how that goes. I would not keep those drakes with the chickens. They are capable of MUCH harm and possibly injuring them to the point of possible death. My drakes are RUTHLESS!!! I do not trust them. Please help your chickes by getting those ducks away from this. Your ducks will not stop this behavior. I hope that by me getting the female ducks, helps. I will know this weekend. I know that my not help your situation now but I will keep you posted. In the meantime, MOVE THOSE DUCKS !!!!

 

[PattiXmas]

Wow, I have the opposite problem. I have a very naughty nasty rooster that won't leave any of the ducks (male or female) alone. We only have about 2 more weeks though, these guys are going to the fair.

 

[bobbo]

I had this same problem, since I wasn't able to keep them in 2 separate pens at that time and I just got a new young drake that I liked the colors of , I put it in the freezer and ate it last weekend. It was good too, problem solved.

Mine did this when the Muscovy hen was sitting on the eggs and not mating with him.....that's how guys get when they don't get any action for awhile...LOL

Maybe keep them in separate pens or try to get a more docile replacement bird, I can't personally stand keeping any aggressive birds...I just eat them all and keep the calm ones.

 

[poultryone]

I would strongly suggest you separate your poultry species until the issue at hand dissipates. Ducks are larger and stronger than chickens and may be causing your chickens undue stress if the behavior is kept up. This, in turn, may cause your hens to stop laying or, even worse, cause physical harm to the birds.