If rehoming drakes does not happen

[ShelbyCiave]

I had to make a double fence between the boys and girls with about a foot in between. They can still reach through and be close but can't mount and mate. Those boys have worn themselves out marching up and down that fence line all day. The girls couldn't care less!
That is a good idea leaving one drake with the girls. I have done alternating days with drakes in the past just because those boys act like they are going to end up in the nervous hospital the way they pace up and down all day. Gotta feel bad for them but if they acted right to begin with they wouldn't be in this situation! My girl's necks are healing so I may try that in the next few weeks.

That is what I’m saying! I tell them, “if you weren’t so sexually naughty I wouldn’t care!” They are so sweet and innocent and then reality hits when the felon side of them comes out.

 

[ShelbyCiave]

LOVE LOVE LOVE your

We had problems with the drakes reaching through and grabbing the girls while they were sleeping in the coop (RUDE!) so we put up some plastic garden netting along the fence and that did a perfect job. It wouldn't work on its own, but covering the gaps in our fencing with it worked perfectly.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[ShelbyCiave]

I think that you can fit a couple more ducks in that little house. I have one night pen that is 4' x 8' and I keep at least 7 in there. My other pen is a bit bigger and has a part that juts out like an L that is 4' x 8' and then the L part is about 3' x 3' and I keep 12 in there.

That's why I doubled the fence. I had the extra fence so I used it. Had a duck get his head stuck in the welded wire fence one time. They go through straight, then turn their heads and can't figure out how to get their head out cause their bill has them caught. It was pitiful but he never did it again!

So you are saying I can possibly fit 4 girls in the little house to sleep and then just make a run around it to separate the boys and girls? And I am sorry about the duck and stuck head fiasco

 

[ruthhope]

So you are saying I can possibly fit 4 girls in the little house to sleep and then just make a run around it to separate the boys and girls? And I am sorry about the duck and stuck head fiasco

You can fit 6 girls in that house just to sleep. My coop is 8' x 4' and sleeps 8. It gets crowded when the pekin drakes need to sleep in dog crates because the muscovies exclude them from food and water if they are all in together. But with one muscovy who insists on sleeping high, I have a "bunk bed" with that muscovy sleeping on top of one of the pekins in the dog crate. I resolved the problem of the pekin getting pooped on [poor boy] by putting a piece of plywood ontop of the dog crate the muscovy roosts on.

Essentially each duck needs 4 square feet overnight space in the duck house

 

[ShelbyCiave]

You can fit 6 girls in that house just to sleep. My coop is 8' x 4' and sleeps 8. It gets crowded when the pekin drakes need to sleep in dog crates because the muscovies exclude them from food and water if they are all in together. But with one muscovy who insists on sleeping high, I have a "bunk bed" with that muscovy sleeping on top of one of the pekins in the dog crate. I resolved the problem of the pekin getting pooped on [poor boy] by putting a piece of plywood ontop of the dog crate the muscovy roosts on.

Essentially each duck needs 4 square feet overnight space in the duck house

More reassurance! Thank you so much! So at this point I have to worry about a pen to separate. Today I let the babies out of their pen to follow me around and all 8 of them charged after my 2 older boys and tried attacking them as a team! They have been outside together, but separated by the small fence, for about a month now. So much for a good first impression!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Try listing the drakes on Craig's list. I don't do facebook but have heard that might be a good place too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

LOVE LOVE LOVE your flag!

I second that!

 

[ShelbyCiave]

Try listing the drakes on Craig's list. I don't do facebook but have heard that might be a good place too.

I did put an ad on Craig’s list. Last night I had someone ask me for them. I asked their intentions and they have 4 girls and want to try to pair them together and breed them. I’m just wondering if they are prepared for something like that and know what they are doing.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had a little drake that was being a problem duck, overly romantic with chickens. I took him to a park by the farmer's market, hoping to re-home him, and he followed me like a dog everywhere, and acted like he was connected to my hip. He didn't get re-homed, but he did get a separate pen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am so thankful you didn't leave him there.