LITTLE MORE HELP WITH FRISKY DRAKE PROBLEM PLEASE!!

[digichix]

So, I posted earlier this week about my drake trying to mate with chickens,and after much thought and searching I found someone with a beautiful muscovy female to keep my drake company. However now I seem to have a problem intergrating her with my two leghorn hens. The first day I kept them inside the coop so the ducks could get to know each other, that went ok, but when I let the girls out the next day they attacked the new duck and the drake still tried to mate with the chickens! I seperated them again and when I tried again this morning, she was attacked again!! They are going after her eyes and have caused her to bleed, luckily I was observing and was able to seperate before she was seriously injured. So, do I keep trying to intergrate or get rid of someone.
If I have no choice I will give up chickens because I've completely fallen in love with the muscovy. She is gentle, sweet, and sooo friendly, whereas the chickens are fun to be around and watch but I've never been able to handle them like I can already handle her. Also, if I get rid of hens, I will get two new baby chicks in trade so I'll have eggs again by August. But will I have problems intergrating new chicks with ducks? I don't want to go through the same thing again, and I don't have the means to house them seperately. Sorry about all the questions, and if there is another post about this stuff I really couldn't find one in my search, but right now I seem to be going round in circles with the same problem and I don't want to continue making matters worse.

 

[larkflying]

I'd try making a smaller pen near to the large pen or inside it, and keeping either the ducks or the chickens in it so they have time to get used to each other. We've tried that with great success, although it was with chickens and new chickens.

Possibly once the drake bonds with the duck he should protect her from the hens as well. Our drake will even shoo some of the younger geese away.

We introduced mostly grown ducklings last year to our chickens, and they did tend to pick on them but there were 9 ducks so no one duck got singled out. Also, we had mostly grown goslings with them and they would take care of the bossy chickens.

I might think about permanently dividing the chicken area too, since the drake feels like the hens are also his right now it might be good to just give them all seperate areas for a month or two and see how it goes. Or you could just give the hens away and start again with babies in a few months - I have heard that ducks are not necessarily good with chicks but if the chickens were grown it might work out. Other people just keep the two breeds seperate.

I'd advise more female ducks if you can find grown females -- from what I see with my drake, one female might feel kind of battered since they are so enthusiastic about breeding.

Good luck! I'm glad the female duck is so pleasant -- ours are still jumpy unless you have food.

 

[Amiga]

There are a few things to consider.

You've said you really enjoy the Muscovy girl, and feel you'd rather give up on chickens. If you get Muscovies, they'll be laying in a matter of months, also.

Do you like duck eggs? I love them! If you want eggs and don't care which kind, then you might think of having ducks for eggs as well.

I am finding that while it is going well, integrating two new Buffs into my Runner flock is taking more time to really settle in than I had thought it might. They're fine together during the day, but overnight there's a bit of pushing and shoving, nothing scary, but they are not getting as much rest, and egg laying has dropped way off (there could be other reasons, but I feel the new ducks are a contributing factor). But I have the little extra space needed to keep the Buffs in their own room at night. It will work out over the long term.

I hope you'll get some responses that will help you decide what's best for you all.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

My Ancona drake just started going after my chickens, too. I caught him yesterday - I'd seen him give one of the chickens "the look", so I have been watching him like a hawk.
He also went after me today when I brought his food & water out this morning.
I picked his little behind up & paraded him all over the yard for all the hens to see. He may be riding the short bus to Farm Camp (my friend works at a farm camp & they will take any ducks I don't want to keep as a charitable donation) if he keeps this up.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So far in the 21/2 years i have had chickens I haven't had a problem with my drakes going after the hens to mate, Ihave 8 ducks and 2 drakes and a gander, Maybe it has something to do with the roosters being with the hens. I know both my drakes and my gander are scared of my oldest roo. so maybe that keeps them in line. Also maybe a drake being raised with chickens can have something to do with it. And he thinks of them as part of his flock. But the aggression your seeing is very typical of drakes this time of year with mating starting, either you put up with it and correct them when they get out of hand or you put them in the freezer or give them away.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

I am going to work with him as best I can, but I don't know how far I am willing to let him go. I have read some horror stories here, at farm camp he would be the only boy with 10 girls.
They were raised with the chickens, but roosters aren't allowed here, so they were re-homed. He (my drake) has always been petrified of the chickens. Til 2 days ago.
I only have 2 ducks & 1 drake, so I am sure he could use more girls, but it will be a few months before I can allow them to all run together. I am mostly concerned he will become too much for all of us. I often over worry (especially reading so many different - often troubling - tales of drake on keeper / duck / hen / kid violence. My sons are on notice to keep both eyes on him when outside, and to stay clear of him in his yard until his hormones adjust themselves some.

 

[digichix]

I made the choice to give up my chickens on Sunday. It was not an easy decision and I spent sleepless hours making it, but in the end I had somewhere to take them and Spunky, my drake, isn't quite so lucky. So I felt I was his best chance not to mention he and the muschovy seem to be bonding now, much better in the 18 hrs or so since the girls have been gone. I truly believe they thought they were all the same and the new girl was going after their man so to speak. So for now I will concentrate on my ducks and forgo the chickens. I don't know if they will breed or if I want them to, but I'll take it as it comes. Right now I am just trying to get harmony back at home. Thank you to all responses and I wish good luck to those in similar situations.

 

[Amiga]

We have some tough decisions to make when we care for and care about animals. I applaud your perspective, of hanging in there with the ones that might not have the easier time being taken in by someone else.

If Spunky's not a Muscovy, as you probably already know, his offspring with a Muscovy will not be able to reproduce. This could be an advantage

.

Better a non-Muscovy drake with a Muscovy girl, is my feeling, because Muscovy drakes are so big I'd be concerned about them doing damage to smaller ducks. But what do I know?

Thanks for sharing this with the forum. It helps the rest of us make decisions in the future.

Hope to hear more news from the flock soon!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I made the choice to give up my chickens on Sunday. It was not an easy decision and I spent sleepless hours making it, but in the end I had somewhere to take them and Spunky, my drake, isn't quite so lucky. So I felt I was his best chance not to mention he and the muschovy seem to be bonding now, much better in the 18 hrs or so since the girls have been gone. I truly believe they thought they were all the same and the new girl was going after their man so to speak. So for now I will concentrate on my ducks and forgo the chickens. I don't know if they will breed or if I want them to, but I'll take it as it comes. Right now I am just trying to get harmony back at home. Thank you to all responses and I wish good luck to those in similar situations.

I agree with Amiga you made the best decision, please let us know how things go down the road, we all need to learn from each others experiences.
and if I didn't say so before

 

[Miss Lydia]

Best is just to take it a day at a time, hopefully it will work its self out with everyone being on guard.

I am going to work with him as best I can, but I don't know how far I am willing to let him go. I have read some horror stories here, at farm camp he would be the only boy with 10 girls.
They were raised with the chickens, but roosters aren't allowed here, so they were re-homed. He (my drake) has always been petrified of the chickens. Til 2 days ago.
I only have 2 ducks & 1 drake, so I am sure he could use more girls, but it will be a few months before I can allow them to all run together. I am mostly concerned he will become too much for all of us. I often over worry (especially reading so many different - often troubling - tales of drake on keeper / duck / hen / kid violence. My sons are on notice to keep both eyes on him when outside, and to stay clear of him in his yard until his hormones adjust themselves some.