How odd....................or maybe it's not??

[Blondiega1]

Okay, so I don't post a WHOLE lot, but I do lurk and I've posted my fair share.
Having said all that, please indulge me in some back ground info for those who don't remember me or are unfamilar with my particulars.


I gave 8 Pekins. Four drakes and four hens.
Free range all day on our 5 acre lake in the middle of 80 acres.

One of my drakes, Jmatt, thinks he's a goose so he hangs with the Canada geese that pass through or by himself, only showing up to have anything to do with the flock at dinner time.
So I kind of factor him out of the equation.
He's the oldest at about 3 years old.

Then I have drakes Tweety, Taz and Ming Ming.
The hens are Largo, Montego, Ginger and MaryAnn.
All of these are about 9-10 mths old.

Tweety, Taz, Largo and Montego were all raised together from about 3-4 weeks old.
Ming Ming came later but fit right in.
Ginger and MaryAnn are recent additions but have also melted right in to the flock.


Soooooo I said all that to say this:
Recently Tweety and Taz (drakes) have separated from the flock and just become a flock of two staying by their selves leaving Ming Ming with all the ladies.

Is it unusual for a flock that has been cohesive for 9 months to suddenly have two decide they prefer to be together and away from the rest of the flock?

They all show up at home PROMPTLY at 5pm quacking for me to come feed them.

 

[CricketR4]

Not an expert or anything, but it sounds like you have too many males for your girls. You might have one dominant drake that pushed the others out. From talking to breeders/owners and all the reading I've done, the rule of thumb for drake/duck (hen) ratio is at least 3 ducks for every drake. Again, not an expert on ducks, but that's what I've learned from all the breeders and owners I've talked to who've had ducks for years and years.

 

[Blondiega1]

Yes, I know having too many boys may be an issue, that's why I added two girls to the flock.
I'm actually hoping that this may bode well with only one drake with the four girls, and the other 3 drakes off doing their own thing and staying away from the flock.

 

[jdywntr]

Come spring you may have problems. I would agree that the 2 were probably pushed out by a more dominant drake but come spring and hormones who knows. I'm sure its been said before but 4-6 females per drake is best. I would suggest very close monitoring come springtime. Since it seems that they spend a lot of time on the lake, your extra males can gang up on your females and drown them. The dominant drake won't be able to protect all of them from 3 extra boys.

So for your situation, yes it is great that 3 males are staying away from the others, leaving a good drakek ratio. But use caution.

 

[Going Quackers]

Come spring you may have problems. I would agree that the 2 were probably pushed out by a more dominant drake but come spring and hormones who knows. I'm sure its been said before but 4-6 females per drake is best. I would suggest very close monitoring come springtime. Since it seems that they spend a lot of time on the lake, your extra males can gang up on your females and drown them. The dominant drake won't be able to protect all of them from 3 extra boys.

So for your situation, yes it is great that 3 males are staying away from the others, leaving a good drakek ratio. But use caution.

I fully agree. I do understand, having hatched out mainly drakes last year i was faced with the wonderful messed up ratios myself. That said, even with only two drakes remaining and them having a 4:1 ratio it can still be interesting times, yes, personalities of the drakes do play a role but regardless drakes are territorial and that has to be taken into consideration as should the safety of the ducks caught up in it.

 

[Blondiega1]

Thanks.
I'll continue to monitor the situation.

 

[catsbully]

yup from what I have read these are not birds that mate for life with just one partner!

 

[Going Quackers]

Thanks.
I'll continue to monitor the situation.

 

[Going Quackers]

yup from what I have read these are not birds that mate for life with just one partner!

No, anything but mind you i have seen them have favourites both my drakes do.