I have killer ducks!!

[crj]

Ok, this is reaaalllly strange. I have 8 indian runner ducks and run all over the place. I have a Pekin that is lame and recently the runners (4 female and 4 males) have been attacking my Pekin who's name is Weebles. It's the boys and I know it's spring but they are relentless. So bad that I have to pen Weebles all day and away from the crazed runners.

I can understand that this may seem normal being spring and all. What I find super strange and frightening is the fact that 3 runners went into a chicken coop (dog house style) where a mother hen and her babies were. Those runners were terrorizing the hen and babies. They wanted those babies! I ran them all out of there and later found another one that went inside. Never have these ducks EVER been in this coop. This coops has been in that spot for 3 yrs which is longer then these ducks have been ducks and sits just over a foot off the ground. It was so bad I had to lock up the mother hen and the babies because I couldn't trust the ducks. I also put fencing around that coop to keep the ducks away from the chicks.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before? I find it very odd. Have my ducks gone mad? It's kind of creeping me out.

 

[Mike Winters]

this madness you speak of is normal drake behavior especially for a pack of drakes. drakes are the epitome of sexual aggression it is good to lock them up or away from the females. they will stop at nothing to get what they want be it chicken or duck.

 

[sourland]

Bad boys gone wild. Time for three drakes to enter the oven.

 

[azhenhouse]

I love my drakes, they are so beautiful. That said, they are evil! My drakes were so aggressive towards our ducks that I had to separate them. They now live in a bachelor's pad. Stinkers!!!

 

[mandelyn]

This is why I let Hammie the chicken get after Earl, the worse of my two. The other drake isn't so bad! That little hen will whoop Earl's butt though. he has to have 4 pounds on her, but he runs as soon as she gets fluffed up.

Hammie does mean drake patrol, just looking for trouble. She was raised with ducklings, my others hens are afraid of them. There she is every recess... giving that drake grief.

Though yesterday Wheaties the Marans hen must have looked at Earl wrong, and he went after her at my feet. He gets so blinded by rage I can just scoop him up. Wheaties came into my lap after him and pecked him on the nose before hopping down. Like "There! You bully!"

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Drakes are bad news.
I recently re-homed mine because he made my backyard into something out of a Law & Order SVU episode. After 3 months of messing with the schedule of the duck/chicken yard & stressing my girls so much no one wanted to lay reliably, balancing chickens foraging with their safety, keeping the ducks in when chickens were out & vice versa I threw in the towel & re-homed him to a breeder with tons on ducks (he's happy as a clam) and brought home a female she had in exchange. I will not have drakes again. I have enough men in my life as it is.
(I have 2 sons, play in a bluegrass band - all guys, I tried the all-girl band thing, never again - and am a chef. Every aspect of my life is male dominated, so my yard is a sanctuary for me. I am mother superior.)

 

[Going Quackers]

Some can be a PITA.. i have three.. my oldest guy is a sweetheart.. the two younger ones.. i call the troublesome twosome they are both black barred and look like bookends lol Now They ARE pesty.. they are not nasty but just annoying.

I need to get rid of one.. maybe two.. i always plan on keeping my main guy.. but i did have another that went nasty with people so he left.. simply to aggressive to have especially with it being a small family hobby farm.

 

[crj]

M.Kitchengirl, being a chef you'd think that drake would be in the oven... lol. This is the first bad behavior my runners have ever showed towards any chicken let alone chicks. Right now it's as if they are on speed or something. They are just buzzing around the yard and in the woods where it rained enough to make small pools. Works for me but they must be eating something that is making them go crazy...... lol. I wonder if there is duck crack in the woods that I don't know about. Usually they stay to themselves.

These ducks are too small for the oven...... lol. Wouldn't have enough meat on them at all. I'm hoping it's a spring thing. I've just never saw them act like this and wondered if anyone else had this problem. So far the hen and chicks are safe from those mean ducks. The geese don't bother them and neither does any of the other birds. Poor Weebles has to stay in a pen to be safe. Maybe when Spring ends all will be well with the bird world again.

 

[EmAbTo48]

I have one rouen drake who picks on my Pekin male. But my Rouen Mix drake is the boss of them all he has no tolerance for the rouen drake to go after the pekin drake. He takes after the rouen and pushes his head into the ground hissying away at him I am glad I have that big old boy (Rouen Mix) he keeps everyone calm and the flock at peace.

Do you have a Rooster? Our Rooster follows his ladies all over our property and if any ducks try to pick on them he goes wild pecking, spuring and the ducks runaway! He is a great Roo very protective of all his hens.

 

[Miss Lydia]

M.Kitchengirl, being a chef you'd think that drake would be in the oven... lol. This is the first bad behavior my runners have ever showed towards any chicken let alone chicks. Right now it's as if they are on speed or something. They are just buzzing around the yard and in the woods where it rained enough to make small pools. Works for me but they must be eating something that is making them go crazy...... lol. I wonder if there is duck crack in the woods that I don't know about. Usually they stay to themselves.

These ducks are too small for the oven...... lol. Wouldn't have enough meat on them at all. I'm hoping it's a spring thing. I've just never saw them act like this and wondered if anyone else had this problem. So far the hen and chicks are safe from those mean ducks. The geese don't bother them and neither does any of the other birds. Poor Weebles has to stay in a pen to be safe. Maybe when Spring ends all will be well with the bird world again.

Must be some pycedelic mushrooms out in them woods crj lol. my youngest drake is my trouble maker, when i let everyone out in the morning he has to go into the backyard or the house away from everyone because he thinks hes prince charming and wants to go int the nests with the girls when they are laying which in turn keeps the chickens out of the coop because they are scared of him so he is in solitary confinment for at least the first hour of their day. My old drake has turned into such a gentleman since he has gotten up in age. but I can remember a time. and yes roosters will help keep young drakes in check. .