Jerk of a drake

[Cass8710]

Hi! We have four ducks (silver appleyards). One drake and his three lady friends. They were born last May and these are our first ducks so we are definitely novices. For background we have a coop they stay in at night. I let them out each morning and they go out to play on the lake. They come home each night excited for treats and to be put up into the coop. This is our first mating season and our drake has decided to single out one of the girls. He attacks her and will not let her come within 20 or 30 feet of the group. He doesn't want her coming near the coop. Her poor little feathers have taken a beating from his crap! I am just beside myself trying to figure out how to help. Should I lock him in the coop for a couple hours a day or one or two days at a time and let them have some time out alone or will this just make his aggression build up? Should I try only letting him out with the lady he is being mean to? Maybe that will encourage bonding? I need help! Any advice appreciated!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Try both ways and see which one works for your little female. Alot of members here have drake jail so their females can get a break from all the roughness of their drake. Some have to spend most of mating season in jail. So you'll just have to see what works for your situation. I don't know the logic behind a drake behaving this way towards a female doesn't make sense to me. But it happens alot. Please keep us updated on which worked the best because there are always members wanting suggestions about this on here.

 

[Cass8710]

I will definitely let you all know. Do you think I should keep him separated in the coop too? Will he attack them when they come back in at night if hes been in jail all day?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would make him his own area in the coop so he can not hurt or harass the females. You can use some kind of fencing or a large dog crate to keep him in.

 

[Cass8710]

Another part of the problem is I cant see what goes on all day when I let them out since they travel out on the lake. If I tried to let him out with just the one female I'm worried I wouldnt know how much abuse she was taking while they were gone.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So make him drake pen many here do this and their drakes live to tell about it. Just kidding on that comment. But we do what we have to to protect our females. @onaharley has drake jail. @DuckyDonna and many others. He’ll not like it but hey it’s being a responsible owner of animals.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You could put your females up a few days a week and give him his freedom too. He’ll probably stick around the pen but at least he’d have some freedom if he wants it.

 

[Cass8710]

Do you think letting him out with a different female each day (leaving the other two together in the coop) would work. Everyone then gets a turn and a break from him? But then their break from him isn't out on the lake. Really the only one that seems to need a break is the one though.

 

[DiYMama540]

I have Drake jail! And it's getting ready to have the dust knocked off...my "sweet" Tom is turning into a monster! He's never very happy about being separated from his mate but like @Miss Lydia said... he'll live, and there's some sort of peace on the flock again!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you think letting him out with a different female each day (leaving the other two together in the coop) would work. Everyone then gets a turn and a break from him? But then their break from him isn't out on the lake. Really the only one that seems to need a break is the one though.

Try it! You’ll just have to watch for wear an tear. We all have to just try different things and choose what works for us. Like @DiYMama540 says we do what we have to to maintain peace an protect our girls.