Is it mating season?!

[Lizmo1239]

Individuals can differ even within the same breed. My appleyard drake didn’t become an actively horny turd until around this time last year. He went to a new home at that point because I didn’t have enough hens to keep him satisfied. Sometimes it’s hormones, and you can ride it out, and other times they’re just jerks and are better off in the stewpot or in a home where they’re part of a bachelor flock.

I have 2 runner drakes, one was already mating with hens by the time he was 11-12 weeks, and the other guy is 5 months and won’t even look at the ladies. I have 5 drakes, 1 mule drake, and 7 hens, so the ratio if they were kept together is no good. My drakes are living in a bachelor pad next door to the main duck pen, so everyone is still happy with no feather pulling or overmating.

You could try to add more hens and see if that spreads the love around a bit more, but a lot of times the drakes will have their favourites and cause problems still.

You’ve done what I would in the same situation with separating them so they can see each other but he can’t harass her.

what’s your long term plan? Are you getting more ladies in the spring, or were you hoping to just keep a pair? With a drake like my shy runner, you probably could, but with a fella that wants to mate constantly, it won’t work.

You have some options but it ultimately depends on what you want from the ducks.

Thanks so much for the great perspective and honestly not 100% positive what our long-term plan is quite yet! Hoping things might mellow down to be more manageable for the girl and separating them will only have to be an every so often ordeal. that said, we have been keeping an eye out for another girl to add to our flock, we just need to be 10000% positive it's a she before we bring her home. We actually bought a full-grown duck that we thought was a hen cayuga last month, brought her home had her for two weeks at which point SHE decided to sprout MALE tail feathers, so we had to return him to the farm. It was such a bummer and we put so much work into integration, but oh well. we were sure he was a she as all his siblings had their male feathers already, he just decided to sprout his late.

 

[Lizmo1239]

you could always get some more females. I'm not sure it would help though.. if your mallard is anything like ours. she wont let our pretty Cayuga mate with anyone else lol. she blocks him every time with head bobbing and calls. and the other girls ( Pekin, rouen, khaki) run away from our other male (khaki) .. they are all in love with the cayuga.

Thank you for the reply - this made me chuckle because i'm wondering if our mallard will be the same! she is so so flirty and almost seems like she's the instigator half the time which I totally get is her instincts kicking in, but at the same time it's like girl, your poor head feathers are missing and the pekin is like three times her size, give it a rest!!

 

[Flyinbolts]

If they're ducks, yes. Always.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

That's not always the case. My pekin drake I had was the most docile, laid back duck I've ever owned. He never once mounted or even attempted to breed my female pekin. It depends on the ducks.

i have two pekin boys and even just attempt could hurt the hen

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

I'm currently not looking to get rid of either of them - they seem to be doing great with the setup I have now, keeping them separated but still able to see each other and forage and letting them out together supervised. Curious, isn't having just two drakes without any hens typically frowned upon as well?

i have 3 drakes and 2 hens so my bigger boys are separated and very happy together

 

[Floof]

Thanks so much for the great perspective and honestly not 100% positive what our long-term plan is quite yet! Hoping things might mellow down to be more manageable for the girl and separating them will only have to be an every so often ordeal. that said, we have been keeping an eye out for another girl to add to our flock, we just need to be 10000% positive it's a she before we bring her home. We actually bought a full-grown duck that we thought was a hen cayuga last month, brought her home had her for two weeks at which point SHE decided to sprout MALE tail feathers, so we had to return him to the farm. It was such a bummer and we put so much work into integration, but oh well. we were sure he was a she as all his siblings had their male feathers already, he just decided to sprout his late.

Hey! I'm not too far from Portland and need to rehome my welsh harlequin ladies! We've been having a really hard time maintaining their weight and getting their water proofing back after the fires but they are sweet and most definitely female! They hatched May 2nd so are around the same age. Let me know if you'd be interested.

 

[Lizmo1239]

Hey! I'm not too far from Portland and need to rehome my welsh harlequin ladies! We've been having a really hard time maintaining their weight and getting their water proofing back after the fires but they are sweet and most definitely female! They hatched May 2nd so are around the same age. Let me know if you'd be interested.

No way, small world! Do you only have a pair, or more than two and would be willing to part with just one? We are hoping to start with adding one lady to our flock for now. Do you also have an idea of why they are losing weight? In addition to dealing with our ducks' fun mating habits, we have two dogs and one of them just had to have emergency spine surgery, plus we have a snake that is refusing to eat and we can't figure out why. I don't know that my heart can take another pet that potentially isn't doing well (although it always seems to be something!). thanks!

 

[Floof]

No way, small world! Do you only have a pair, or more than two and would be willing to part with just one? We are hoping to start with adding one lady to our flock for now. Do you also have an idea of why they are losing weight? In addition to dealing with our ducks' fun mating habits, we have two dogs and one of them just had to have emergency spine surgery, plus we have a snake that is refusing to eat and we can't figure out why. I don't know that my heart can take another pet that potentially isn't doing well (although it always seems to be something!). thanks!

I have a flock so could part with just one. They aren't sick in any way. I'm just a first time duck keeper and got in deeper than I should have with ducks. My house was supposed to be finished in the spring but because of covid, it kept getting pushed back and we still haven't been able to move in. I was told by my contractor that the house I built for them was in the way so I dismantled it and put them in a temporary house and pen that just isn't as well constructed and isn't protected enough from the elements. I need to trim down and want my girls to go to good homes. PM me if you would be interested!