Help with frisky duck!

[digichix]

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice. I have a male duck who seems to be getting frisky with my female chickens. I lost my female duck in August and he intergrated with my chickens without any problems, until recently. I've noticed some blood on eggs and wings of my girls and have been keeping an eye on them, but no one seemed hurt. But I just caught him on top of one of the girls and she has blood on her head(I think from him grabbing her with his bill). I don't have any roosters, just the two girls and him, what do I do? He has been with them so long, he sleeps in the coop, and hangs with them all the time, even when they are free ranging. Will he hurt them, do I need to seperate them, or should I look for a home for him?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Drakes can kill chickens trying to mate because they have a penis where roosters do not. He should be separated and a couple of ducks found for him.

 

[duckdad]

YES !

separate them immediately. Your drake is going thru his breeding urge and that will over-ride any training or friendships or fear that he may have. He'll attempt to mate with chickens, 2x4s, goats or whatever he can climb on. This will pass in a few days but until then he has to be kept away from the chickens or he can and will eventually hurt one or even kill one. Duck love is violent and brutal, and can be fatal to other species of birds. I'd strongly suggest that you find a new hen that's at least 5 mts old and put them together asap. That way he has his GF and will then leave your chickens alone.

He's not gone mean or anything like that. He is just doing what nature tells him to do. Drakes don;t even get any pleasure out of mating...its purely instinctual and designed to propagate the species...not for fun. he has no choice, its in his genes (jeans).

 

[sourland]

I would recommend separating them or getting rid of the drake before he injures the hens more seriously than he already has - or kills them.

 

[Snozzle]

Drakes get very aggressive when trying to breed. I had 8 muscovys and 6 of them turned out to be boys. They were starting to go after peoples legs, cats, dogs and just anything that moved. After doing first aid on so many gashes from claws, being covered in bruises every day and no one wanting to come over anymore I finally gave these guys to a lady that had a group of muscovys with a lot more females then I had and they are happy now.

 

[digichix]

Thank You all soo much!! You probably saved my chicks lives!!!