Keeping a drake in the chicken coop??

FlowerFarmer

In the Brooder
8 Years
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
66
Reaction score
1
Points
39
I seem full of duckling questions these days
smile.png


I have four 10-week old chickens, and currently rescued 3 baby mallards. Im thinking we have 2 females and one male (based on noisemaking). While Im planning on keeping these babies together, Im cautious to raise a drake with my chickens. Dont they get aggressive when trying to mate? When will I have to worry about sexual maturity? If I cant raise the 3 mallards in the chickens coop (when they eventually move from their brooder to the outside... (is this similar to when the pullets went out at 6 weeks and fully feathered?)).... Im affaid I may have to find them another home (I have friends waiting by the phone).
Anyone have males in with their chickens? ...in the coop at night? He would have 2 female siblings with him.
THX
 
ours started with mating the chickens, then moved to chasing, then throwing, then OFF TO THE SWAP!!! i would not reccomend it, wait and see though, our kaki cambell hen was a VERY noisy duckling, you could have all hens. you can't tell until you see curly drake feathers on the tail. good luck!!
 
Last edited:
We have had 5 - 10 Khaki Campbell hens and one drake in the coop with our chickens for a couple of years. The chickens currently number 19 hens and 1 rooster. We've never had a problem with the drake at all. Our drake seems more interested in the ducks (he has enough of them, after all). Plus, he's grounded. My hens roost up. Even during the mornings, I don't think I've seen him chase them. I don't think my roo would stand for the drake taking after his girls...

The other thing is they're only in at night. We've got 5 acres and all roam freely from about 9 a.m. (after the ducks lay their eggs) until they put themselves to bed. So I guess there's plenty of room to run/fly away from him. I did have to chase him away from a broody duck hen who was just trying to get some water and a few minutes off the nest once.
wink.png


Best of luck with them!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom