Living arrangements

[fatty and friends]

Update - boys and girls were separated before things got too hairy, and apart from some initial outcries, everything was working out well.
I then hatched 5 more ducklings as we had promised some of the original ducklings (she wanted girls) to a colleague who then had to pull out whilst the others were in the incubator. These were big enough to go outside by mid September, so we have put the older girls back in with the older boys so the little ones could have their run for now.

I was hoping mating season would be done by now, but no, there is still too much going on for my liking, so I am now having to separate the boys and girls to sessional free ranging during the day (they seem to have calmed down by the evening)

So after all of that rambling... my question is, does mating season ever stop for runners? We're still at about 16deg C (That's about 60F) during the day here. Is the mating season it down to the climate?

Once the ducklings are old enough (in about 6 weeks time) I plan to have single sex runs again.

should be slowing down once it’s a bit colder outside, my boys and girls are allowed all together all day now (except when i’m not home, just because of the huge size difference between jumbo pekin and khaki hens)

 

[DuckyDonna]

In my flock, no, it never stops. I've got 13 girls and 4 boys which is 2 boys too many. The two younger boys in my avatar are HUGE now and are slowing down a little bit but I'm always watching. In the spring they have to be separated into 2 groups, old and young. Then when it really revs up I have to put the 4 boys together so they don't hurt the girls. Lots more work but unless I can find new homes for Atticus and Finch I will have to deal with it.

Oh by the way, does anyone want a couple of beautiful runner drakes??

 

[Beth42]

I wi definitely be putting them into single sex runs once the young ones are off growers pellets in a few weeks.
Next hurdle will be getting the older and young lads to get on. At the moment when I allow them to have supervised free range together, the young ones chase the older ones and there has been some fisty cuffs… it never ends but I love them to bits.