HELP I have too many drakes

[jessicat21]

So my parents got my brother 9 ducks and 9 chickens for his birthday a couple months ago and they stay in the same coup and get along very well. But I realized that we have 5 drakes and only 4 females which is not a good ratio and we do not a rooster. The drakes are very big compare to the females and chickens. I told my parents about the issue because I fear that the drakes can hurt the ducks and hens and even kill them. We are not experience in raising chickens or ducks so they just brushed it off and told me that it's going to be fine and yelled at me for overthinking. Can anyone tell me what to do because I do not want anyone to get hurt. I don't know if this info can help but they stay inside in the coup at night and we have a fence around the coup for them to stay out in until they feel like going to bed. We let them out in the morning to free-range and back in at around 5.

 

[Biring]

The obvious solution would be remove four of the drakes - either eat them, sell them or give them away. I know which option I’d choose

 

[jessicat21]

The obvious solution would be remove four of the drakes - either eat them, sell them or give them away. I know which option I’d choose

 

[jessicat21]

I was thinking about giving them away, but I do not have any control over that. We had a fire the first time we got chickens and ducks, and they all died, so everyone in the family is super attached to the new one. I'm trying to explain to my parents, but they are too dumb to understand, and it's very frustrating.

 

[Cinnamon11]

I was thinking about giving them away, but I do not have any control over that. We had a fire the first time we got chickens and ducks, and they all died, so everyone in the family is super attached to the new one. I'm trying to explain to my parents, but they are too dumb to understand, and it's very frustrating.

That does sound frustrating

 

[DaYooper_Duck]

Keep trying. If all the drakes stay, they will overbreed the ducks and hens, and possibly kill them. It will also lead to fighting among the males. Explain this to your parents, stressing that it is cruel to keep that many males with so few females, and possibly bring up that keeping them may raise vet bills, and affect laying efficiency. Encourage them to do their own research on the topic as well. Do not give up intil 4+ of the boys are gone, best of luck!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Perhaps make sure that everyone knows ducks are (for these purposes, don't care about ornate ones) not monogamous and the lonely drake they were expecting will still fight to breed. They aren't like people

 

[LT71689]

Unfortunately all you can do if they're not "yours" to give away is to keep providing resources and trying to convince them, but it may take a really terrible situation to finally drive the point home.

A male duck trying to mate a chicken can seriously injure or kill it. Ducks have external penises that male chickens do not, so female chickens do not have vaginas that can accommodate a duck. A duck (especially a bigger one) can tear a chicken to pieces trying to mate it - and they will, they do not know or care that they're not the right species.

Too many male ducks will also gang-mate a female duck, seriously hurting or killing her as well. This is especially problematic if they have swimming water, as the males piling on her can drown her while mating her.

Best case scenario they listen to you and you get rid of at least 4 if not all of your male ducks.

Less great scenario, you separate all your male ducks into a space where they cannot see or interact with the female ducks and chickens. (This is important - they cannot see the other ducks because they cant reason that a fence or whatever is keeping them apart. If they can see the girls, they'll fight for them. They cannot mingle)

Worst case scenario you leave things the way they are until a female duck or chicken gets violently mangled to death and they finally listen to you.

 

[TomCahalan]

Have you tried explaining the problem to your brother? Better yet, show him this thread.

Since they are your brother's birds, your parents will be more willing to listen to him.

 

[TeenageFlockers]

What breeds do you have - I am looking for a male Cayuga to start breeding as they are so hard to find. Please reply if anyone wants to give up a male Cayuga, ideally purebred- so I can start selling in Massachusetts. Also looking for a male white/yellow runner, and a swedish female. Or anyone knows anyone with these breeds.