Male duck with chickens

[nailraiser]

Hi y’all! We lost a couple ducks this winter to predators and were left with a lonely drake.
We’ve got 8 hens & 3 roosters (going to rehome roosters this spring) and currently all are co existing great in the shared coop and run. Our duck follows our 4 oldest hens everywhere and seems to think he’s one of them.. however, I’m worried that come spring time, he’s going to get randy and try to mate with the chickens and hurt/kill them.
Anyone ever have success keeping a male duck with their chickens or are we just playing with fire?

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

Hi y’all! We lost a couple ducks this winter to predators and were left with a lonely drake.
We’ve got 8 hens & 3 roosters (going to rehome roosters this spring) and currently all are co existing great in the shared coop and run. Our duck follows our 4 oldest hens everywhere and seems to think he’s one of them.. however, I’m worried that come spring time, he’s going to get randy and try to mate with the chickens and hurt/kill them.
Anyone ever have success keeping a male duck with their chickens or are we just playing with fire?

I would separate just to be safe. My drake tried mounting my hens so I got scared and separated. I would separate as well I guess

 

[gimmie birdies]

They will try and mount hens, and will pull rooster's tails out, because he gets jealous that roosters have a long fancy tail.

 

[Shezadandy]

Hi y’all! We lost a couple ducks this winter to predators and were left with a lonely drake.
We’ve got 8 hens & 3 roosters (going to rehome roosters this spring) and currently all are co existing great in the shared coop and run. Our duck follows our 4 oldest hens everywhere and seems to think he’s one of them.. however, I’m worried that come spring time, he’s going to get randy and try to mate with the chickens and hurt/kill them.
Anyone ever have success keeping a male duck with their chickens or are we just playing with fire?

I haven't kept ducks but remember reading in several posts that because drakes have an ... appendage ... where roosters do not ... and the difference in size - can result in injury to the hen.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Yes you are correct that you are playing with fire in keeping a male duck with female chickens. To be bluntly graphic anatomically speaking, male ducks have a corkscrew penis meant for actual insertion, while chicken sex does not involve penetration. Your drake could very well seriously injure the hens internally to the point they need to be euthanized. So separating him from the hens asap and getting him more female ducks if possible is definitely the best plan. Either that, or finding him a new home where he can live happily amongst other ducks. Sorry for your predator losses.

 

[Chickassan]

Playing with fire 100%.

 

[Isaac 0]

Speaking from a person who has both species housed together, they can be, but under certain environmental considerations. The two majors one being, that each species has plenty of room to move around in, and that the ratio for each species are correct. I've never once seen a drake try to mate a chicken - they would much rather mate with their own kind unless they are bored or lack females of their own.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Your input is valid @isaac o, but your last sentence is essentially the OP''s problem. The op has 11 chickens (8 hens and 3 roostersl), & 1 male duck, all housed in same pen. No female ducks at all.

 

[Isaac 0]

Your input is valid @isaac o, but your last sentence is essentially the OP''s problem. The op has 11 chickens (8 hens and 3 roostersl), & 1 male duck, all housed in same pen. No female ducks at all.

Correct, if they want to house them together the run will need to be increased/ or start free-ranging them, and they'll need to get a correct ratio for each species. The point of post is to clarify they CAN be housed together - seems like a common misconception among people who've never kept them together, or that have under the circumstances I described not to that the drakes are "out" to get the hens.

 

[nailraiser]

Correct, if they want to house them together the run will need to be increased/ or start free-ranging them, and they'll need to get a correct ratio for each species. The point of post is to clarify they CAN be housed together - seems like a common misconception among people who've never kept them together, or that have under the circumstances I described not to that the drakes are "out" to get the hens.

Yeah, they’ve always been housed together and have been fine, I just feared that since his ladies are gone that he will eventually go after the hens as mating season gets closer. Thank you guys for confirming!