Male Ducks Fighting

[DandyAndMahi]

I bought two ducklings from tractor supply 6 months ago and they’re fully grown now. Both of them turned out to be male and i believe that one of them is a Welsh Harlequin and the other is a Khaki Campbell. I just noticed that they’ve been fighting each other and maybe trying to mate with each other? I don’t know what they’re doing! It’s my first time having ducks.

Recently the smaller male, Mahi, started limping and we had no idea why and we think this might be why. I’ve separated them right now. But I really need a solution fast, I don’t want them hurting each other!

Should I buy a another male or female duck? Or keep them separated forever? Or is this a normal thing?

 

[Pyxis]

It's hormones - they are trying to mate with each other and it sounds like, unfortunately, they are injuring each other doing it. Often you can keep two drakes together without females and without issues (I did for years) but if they are injuring each other, they do need to be separated.

Keeping them alone and separate from each other isn't fair to them since they do need to be with other ducks, so that won't really be a long-term option. Adding another male won't help, and you can't add just one female, since they will both turn their attentions on her and then she's the one that's likely to be injured.

The solution is to get them each their own girls, two or three each (so adding four to six females), rehome one of them and get the remaining boy a couple mates, or rehome both of them to flocks where they can have their own girls.

 

[PirateGirl]

This is normal male duck behavior and they certainly can injure each other, especially if there is a size difference. Keeping them separate is the only way to keep them safe. If they are sometimes buddies, then it would be nice if they could still see and chat with each other through a fence or something. It will likely get worse as we get further into breeding season, especially since they don't have mates.

I would not buy another male or female duck. Adding another male is just one more in the fighting mix, adding one female with two males will likely make things worse between the two males and likely cause injury to the female.

 

[Rammy]

Get girl ducks. Preferably 3 to 4 hens per male so they arent constantly trying to mate with the hen. Plus male ducks can be rough so the more hens the better.

 

[DandyAndMahi]

I’m living in city limits and I can only have 3 ducks. I really don’t want to sell them but I don’t see any other option. I’ve loved these ducks for so long and but I don’t want to torture them and keep them separated forever.

 

[DandyAndMahi]

I do have a really good friend with a lot of chickens on his farm. Mostly female but there’s like 8 roosters (maybe 20 hens). Would one of them, or both get along with all his chickens?

 

[PirateGirl]

Ducks and chickens may or may not ever get along. I tend to have fights when my flocks mingle and that’s not uncommon. Ducks prefer to be with other ducks.

 

[Pyxis]

I do have a really good friend with a lot of chickens on his farm. Mostly female but there’s like 8 roosters (maybe 20 hens). Would one of them, or both get along with all his chickens?

Not a great plan unless he also has female ducks - for one, ducks should always be kept with other ducks, they aren't happy unless they have friends of their own species. And, a drake with no females will often try to mate with chicken hens which, because of differences in anatomy, can injure or kill them.

Sounds like you're in a tough spot Since you can only have three, my recommendation would be to rehome one to a place that already has ducks, and get two females for your remaining male.

 

[DandyAndMahi]

Not a great plan unless he also has female ducks - for one, ducks should always be kept with other ducks, they aren't happy unless they have friends of their own species. And, a drake with no females will often try to mate with chicken hens which, because of differences in anatomy, can injure or kill them.

Sounds like you're in a tough spot Since you can only have three, my recommendation would be to rehome one to a place that already has ducks, and get two females for your remaining male.

Man! This is hard to figure out. I desperately want them to be happy. Would it be a good idea to maybe buy two or three females to go live with a male at my friends farm with the chickens? I’d have to talk to him, but he’s had a flock of ducks before and said that he would mind having some free range.

 

[Pyxis]

Man! This is hard to figure out. I desperately want them to be happy. Would it be a good idea to maybe buy two or three females to go live with a male at my friends farm with the chickens? I’d have to talk to him, but he’s had a flock of ducks before and said that he would mind having some free range.

If that's an option, then yep, that should work. As long as he has some lady duck friends living there, it should be a good situation for him.