HELP!! Ducks attacked my baby rooster

[alevr]

New chicken and duck owner. It’s been 11 weeks since I bought 9 chickens and 5 ducks.
8 female chickens 1 rooster.
2 Female ducks 3 male it seems.

they lived side by side in a brooder for a few weeks at night and played outside during the day. Finally built the coop and they spent two nights together. Last night or early morning today 3rd day. I walked in to see my rooster bent over looking dead I grabbed him and he was still alive but very weak. The water was knocked over he was wet he had his feathers pulled out and he was bleeding, blood everywhere It look like a murder scene. They had trapped him in the corner.
He was cold wet and scared. I took him inside and held him kept him warm gave him some egg yolk. I don’t know what to do. I’m so sad. How can I help him and how can I ensure this does not happen again. I’m not sure I can afford to have them separate. And I don’t want to get rid of them. I love them all. Please help. Thank you!

 

[sourland]

Three drakes together can be a problem waiting to happen. Once this behavior has started it will likely continue. Sadly the only sure solution is to keep them separated.

 

[alevr]

Three drakes together can be a problem waiting to happen. Once this behavior has started it will likely continue. Sadly the only sure solution is to keep them separated.

If I got more female ducks will this continue?

 

[sourland]

If I got more female ducks will this continue?

Perhaps. I had one instance where a rooster and drake were constantly skirmishing - this was in a free range situation. One day the drake killed the rooster and started attacking the chicken hens. Once fowl develop a behavior, in my experience, it can be very difficult to change. Also in my experience multiple drakes have frequently developed 'gang' breeding/fighting habits.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

It's easy enough to separate. I keep the 2 young drakes separated and my oldest drake is in an area with my female ducks. Then, the chickens are separate from the ducks. In my experience, the different species can definitely distinguish between the males. My drakes go after one another. When they are all together, the 2 younger drakes gang up on the older drake and my cockerel. I don't let them out together unless I'm out there. Then, I give the 2 young ones some free time.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

It would be best to get rid of two drakes. Then I would seperate the remaining drake (just set him up in a corner with a makeshift fence or crate he can see through and not get out of) while the chickens and female ducks work out their ranks. Even adding more female ducks is not going to fix this boy band if you want everyone to co-exist. Drakes can be worse than roosters with their need for domination

 

[alevr]

New chicken and duck owner. It’s been 11 weeks since I bought 9 chickens and 5 ducks.
8 female chickens 1 rooster.
2 Female ducks 3 male it seems.

they lived side by side in a brooder for a few weeks at night and played outside during the day. Finally built the coop and they spent two nights together. Last night or early morning today 3rd day. I walked in to see my rooster bent over looking dead I grabbed him and he was still alive but very weak. The water was knocked over he was wet he had his feathers pulled out and he was bleeding, blood everywhere It look like a murder scene. They had trapped him in the corner.
He was cold wet and scared. I took him inside and held him kept him warm gave him some egg yolk. I don’t know what to do. I’m so sad. How can I help him and how can I ensure this does not happen again. I’m not sure I can afford to have them separate. And I don’t want to get rid of them. I love them all. Please help. Thank you!

It would be best to get rid of two drakes. Then I would seperate the remaining drake (just set him up in a corner with a makeshift fence or crate he can see through and not get out of) while the chickens and female ducks work out their ranks. Even adding more female ducks is not going to fix this boy band if you want everyone to co-exist. Drakes can be worse than roosters with their need for domination

Thank you

 

[alevr]

New chicken and duck owner. It’s been 11 weeks since I bought 9 chickens and 5 ducks.
8 female chickens 1 rooster.
2 Female ducks 3 male it seems.

they lived side by side in a brooder for a few weeks at night and played outside during the day. Finally built the coop and they spent two nights together. Last night or early morning today 3rd day. I walked in to see my rooster bent over looking dead I grabbed him and he was still alive but very weak. The water was knocked over he was wet he had his feathers pulled out and he was bleeding, blood everywhere It look like a murder scene. They had trapped him in the corner.
He was cold wet and scared. I took him inside and held him kept him warm gave him some egg yolk. I don’t know what to do. I’m so sad. How can I help him and how can I ensure this does not happen again. I’m not sure I can afford to have them separate. And I don’t want to get rid of them. I love them all. Please help. Thank you!

So I’m thinking about they (ducks) attacked the rooster because the chickens ran out of water and the rooster went to get water from the ducks and they went crazy because they were running out of water also. Idk should l not keep water in the coop? Thank you

 

[alevr]

It's easy enough to separate. I keep the 2 young drakes separated and my oldest drake is in an area with my female ducks. Then, the chickens are separate from the ducks. In my experience, the different species can definitely distinguish between the males. My drakes go after one another. When they are all together, the 2 younger drakes gang up on the older drake and my cockerel. I don't let them out together unless I'm out there. Then, I give the 2 young ones some free time.

Thanks

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I don't keep water or food in the coop. But, it's all about management and what works for your flock. I don't house my chickens with the ducks either. I have had a few of my muscovy girls prefer to sleep in the chicken coop, but that was a phase they went through.
If you can't separate, you really need to find the drakes new homes because drakes cannot mate with chickens - and you just never know when they might be tempted to do so.