I'm never gonna get an egg!!!

[WVduckchick]

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Hi there! How have you been?

Hey, do you have any problems with your ducks trying to mate the chickens? Since I only have the 2 MALE ducks, the are getting very aggressive with the chickens. Red Rider is their favorite and he's too nice to fight back. They also go after some of the older pullets. So far they don't seem to be bothering the young ones.

I am at my wits end. It's gotten to the point that in the morning nobody wants to come off the roost to go outside until I chase the ducks out. I need to find a female duck or 2, adopt them out or eat them.

 

[Killer Tomato]

Goodness those are big babies! You can tell you spoiled them rotten. I'm going crazy next month and hatching out a couple more, only four eggs but I'm waiting on one to start back laying so of things go well I'll be hatching 2 dominique/faverolles crosses and two full faverolles. I can't do more than four, i spoil them and they turn into little demanding brats so for my sanity i set a limit.

WANT! WANT! Gahhhh! The chick cravings are driving me mad!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I ordered quail eggs for the Easter Hal! And checked the bator. I need to sterilize it. So, i will have Easter babies!

 

[Chickassan]

I'm jealous! I've got the bator ready to go just waiting for those two I want to breed to actually breed "at this point im thinking about snatching them up and bumping them together." Looked for bullseyes in her eggs this morning and I didn't see a thing.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hi there! How have you been?

Hey, do you have any problems with your ducks trying to mate the chickens? Since I only have the 2 MALE ducks, the are getting very aggressive with the chickens. Red Rider is their favorite and he's too nice to fight back. They also go after some of the older pullets. So far they don't seem to be bothering the young ones.

I am at my wits end. It's gotten to the point that in the morning nobody wants to come off the roost to go outside until I chase the ducks out. I need to find a female duck or 2, adopt them out or eat them.

My ducks rule, and the chickens know their place. They will mingle from time to time, (scratch time lol) but mostly they avoid each other just fine. If you get female ducks, you need at least 4, if you plan to keep the 2 drakes. Can you give Red Rider extra places to get away from them? Things to jump up on that the ducks can't reach him?

I'm jealous! I've got the bator ready to go just waiting for those two I want to breed to actually breed "at this point im thinking about snatching them up and bumping them together." Looked for bullseyes in her eggs this morning and I didn't see a thing.

Bump them together...
I'm sorry. Possibly separate them for a few hours (or longer). Make him miss her. Then he'll want to do the nasty with her right away!

 

[Chickassan]

Complicated relationship, she molted and started back laying maybe a week ago so she didn't want any loving. Now she's squatting but he's still huffy about no loving "she's his favorite hen" so instead of doing what he should he's pecking her in the head. They did this when I first got her too, so I'm having to wait out their romance.

My ducks rule, and the chickens know their place. They will mingle from time to time, (scratch time lol) but mostly they avoid each other just fine. If you get female ducks, you need at least 4, if you plan to keep the 2 drakes. Can you give Red Rider extra places to get away from them? Things to jump up on that the ducks can't reach him?




Bump them together...
I'm sorry. Possibly separate them for a few hours (or longer). Make him miss her. Then he'll want to do the nasty with her right away!

 

[WVduckchick]

Complicated relationship, she molted and started back laying maybe a week ago so she didn't want any loving. Now she's squatting but he's still huffy about no loving "she's his favorite hen" so instead of doing what he should he's pecking her in the head. They did this when I first got her too, so I'm having to wait out their romance.

Wow, sounds like a good chicken soap opera.

 

[Chickassan]

If everything went smoothly with them, I'd worry.

Wow, sounds like a good chicken soap opera.

 

[apryl29]

Yes, they are getting huge. There isn't much size difference between the young cockerels and the older pullets. The young pullets are a bit smaller. Eve has been in the lower nests to hide, but I think she's at least a month or 2 from laying.

I have 3-1/2 acres, but the chickens basically use only the middle third of that. They can get through and over all of the fences, but only occasionally do they go though them. All of this part of the yard is covered with chicken & duck poop, feathers and bits of straw. I actually can't wait until I have stuff to mow again so it will disperse!

Here are a few pics from yesterday and today . The first is Coal - the only black sex link cockerel.
View attachment 1269946
Eve (left, 4 months) and Soot (right, 3 months) - black sex link pullets
View attachment 1269959
One of my older RIR hens in the front for size comparison. It's extremely difficult to get a photo of the kids with their elders lol.
View attachment 1269963
The kids enjoying a nice warm, mushy meal of wet feed, hard boiled eggs and veggies.
View attachment 1269971
The boys getting braver and venturing a short distance from the coop.
View attachment 1269972

Wow, they're so big now. Hard to image that it wasn't too long ago that they were living in your kitchen.