I need advice for my duck dilemma!

[Quack and Squeak]

Evening everyone from the UK!!

I'll start by introducing my flock. There is 1 call duck drake with 3 call duck females. He is called Mr Big (after his attitude) then there is Trix (the magpie), Larry (we thought she was a boy at first hence the name ) and finally Mr Big's favourite, Paddle.
From the pictures you will be able to tell that he has been at Paddle far too much and she is getting very run down (bald patches, swollen eyes, etc). We've been giving her eye drops which helps a bit but it's beginning to affect her breathing which has started to be a bit laboured. We know from experience that she can eventually die from this.

The only reason why I haven't removed him is that he and Paddle are the most devoted couple (you can see him waiting for me to let her go) and both would go ballistic if separated.
He shows little interest in Larry and no interest in Trix.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you set them up side by side with fencing to give her a break. She looks very used and it’s not going to get any better until fall.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

What Miss Lydia said. I have used a ex-pen in the duck run to separate, be careful , because they will stop at nothing to get their girl, and will injure themselves in the process. I have had my drake get his neck stuck, seen him flap and climb over a 5’ fence and plop to the ground on the other side. It’s wild.

 

[Quack and Squeak]

What Miss Lydia said. I have used a ex-pen in the duck run to separate, be careful , because they will stop at nothing to get their girl, and will injure themselves in the process. I have had my drake get his neck stuck, seen him flap and climb over a 5’ fence and plop to the ground on the other side. It’s wild.

OK thanks for the advice. While I sort out a run that I can separate for them, he spends the day in the run of the ark they live in and all the girls free roam the garden all day. They still spend the night together though. Should this be a problem?

 

[Callender Girl]

Yes, spending the night together will be a problem. One of my drakes was endlessly mating with one runner hen -- to the point that he ripped her eyelids. She and the less-dominant drake are ALWAYS now separated from Sheldon; he sleeps with the other females, she and Layne sleep together in a small, modified dog house.

During the day, the two groups alternate between being loose with the other poultry and staying within the large run.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Yes, spending the night together will be a problem. One of my drakes was endlessly mating with one runner hen -- to the point that he ripped her eyelids. She and the less-dominant drake are ALWAYS now separated from Sheldon; he sleeps with the other females, she and Layne sleep together in a small, modified dog house.

During the day, the two groups alternate between being loose with the other poultry and staying within the large run.

I could always put my drake with either of the pekin hens, no problems at all. He would mate the bejeezus out of one Rouen and be a perfect gentleman with the Pekins. He, as best I can figure out injured himself to the point of crippling himself getting to the girls, we tried everything we could , including a winter spent indoors for R+R, niacin, antibiotics, etc etc, he still struggles with mobility and hasn’t bothered a hen all year.
I don’t miss it.

 

[Quack and Squeak]

Yes, spending the night together will be a problem. One of my drakes was endlessly mating with one runner hen -- to the point that he ripped her eyelids. She and the less-dominant drake are ALWAYS now separated from Sheldon; he sleeps with the other females, she and Layne sleep together in a small, modified dog house.

During the day, the two groups alternate between being loose with the other poultry and staying within the large run.

OK I've put wire down the middle of their house so he sleeps one side and the girls the other side. All is going well so far other than Paddle is scratching her eye. I've tried a collar for a duck before and it doesn't work well at all. Will eye drops and bathing her eye solve this or will I need to do something more?

Thanks everyone for the help so far!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have Terramycin eye ointment that should help.

 

[Callender Girl]

When my girl's eyelids got torn, the vet gave me eye drops and an anti-inflammatory for her. BUT, I tend to panic whenever anything happens to any of my critters, so that may have been more than she really needed.