Looking for as much advice as possible!

[Hoebob69]

Hello all,

New member here from northwest florida. I frequent Rural King very often and a few months back my children talked me into buying them ducklings. Well now the little ducklings are older and to my surprise one of them is a drake. I have researched as much as possible but I still have a few questions that I am really hoping to get some answers to.

First,I was not prepared for a drake. I have 3 ducks,I have read that drakes will litteraly mate a duck to death so do I need to get more ducks to avoid that or am I ok with 2 females? Also,now that they're getting distinguishable markings I'm assuming that means they are close to maturity. So I'm wondering when they actually mate and if they will mate this season,assuming that it hasn't passed. Thank you in advance for your responses.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The following is a great place to research information on raising ducks.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/

 

[johntfs]

This is second-hand advice, but a lot of it really depend on breed and, really, on the individual animals. Beyond "mating them to death" the big issue you need to consider is whether you want them to mate at all. Fertilized duck eggs will tend to produce ducklings. And those ducklings will be ducks in 60 days or so, generally. Depending on the species, a female duck can produce five to thirteen ducklings per "flight" each. So you could easily find yourself with thirty or more grown ducks in a few months.

Do you want thirty or more grown ducks in a few months? If not you might need to consider selling or giving away your drake. Or just having a last meal with him as the "guest of honor" so to speak.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That isn't how it works.
Just like any other species, fertilized eggs won't turn into ducklings unless they are incubated. Otherwise they are just eggs.
Absolutely nothing happens to an egg until it is held at over about 85 degrees for some time. That is when cell division happens. It won't grow into a bird unless it is held at about 100F and turned regularly.
Below 27C is known as physiological zero. A fertile egg could be at that temperature for a year and never become a bird.

 

[aart]

Fertilized duck eggs will tend to produce ducklings.

Only if incubated.

 

[DuckyDonna]

This is second-hand advice, but a lot of it really depend on breed and, really, on the individual animals. Beyond "mating them to death" the big issue you need to consider is whether you want them to mate at all. Fertilized duck eggs will tend to produce ducklings. And those ducklings will be ducks in 60 days or so, generally. Depending on the species, a female duck can produce five to thirteen ducklings per "flight" each. So you could easily find yourself with thirty or more grown ducks in a few months.

Do you want thirty or more grown ducks in a few months? If not you might need to consider selling or giving away your drake. Or just having a last meal with him as the "guest of honor" so to speak.

Really please! I know you are learning and are probably a very nice person but what you've just said here does not even make any sense.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I had 1 drake to 3 ducks for over almost 2 years and it was fine. I wouldn't worry about it. Keep an eye on your ducks and make sure they aren't getting over mated and if they are put the drake in "time out" for a bit.

 

[Hidrainja4]

This is easy to fix. 1. collect the eggs and don't incubate them. 2. if the drake gets to much for the hens isolate him in a little pen of his own. 3. This really is a late winter early spring problem. My drakes are not that way all year long. what a lovely little trio what breed are they?

 

[bfc chicks]

This is second-hand advice, but a lot of it really depend on breed and, really, on the individual animals. Beyond "mating them to death" the big issue you need to consider is whether you want them to mate at all. Fertilized duck eggs will tend to produce ducklings. And those ducklings will be ducks in 60 days or so, generally. Depending on the species, a female duck can produce five to thirteen ducklings per "flight" each. So you could easily find yourself with thirty or more grown ducks in a few months.

Do you want thirty or more grown ducks in a few months? If not you might need to consider selling or giving away your drake. Or just having a last meal with him as the "guest of honor" so to speak.

Or eating the eggs. A fertile egg is better for you than an unfertile egg per my college prof, his reasoning is fertile is the whole bird.

 

[Jpat]

This is second-hand advice, but a lot of it really depend on breed and, really, on the individual animals. Beyond "mating them to death" the big issue you need to consider is whether you want them to mate at all. Fertilized duck eggs will tend to produce ducklings. And those ducklings will be ducks in 60 days or so, generally. Depending on the species, a female duck can produce five to thirteen ducklings per "flight" each. So you could easily find yourself with thirty or more grown ducks in a few months.

Do you want thirty or more grown ducks in a few months? If not you might need to consider selling or giving away your drake. Or just having a last meal with him as the "guest of honor" so to speak.

if everyduck was broody at the same time and you didnt collect a single egg.

bird birth controll is easy... collect the eggs

As far as drakes and ducks ratio, it will depend on the drake. ive had nice drakes but my last one killed a few ducks so like @DuckyDonna seid keep an eye on them