Mallard drake misbehaving

[renzanity]

Hi, our mallard drake has become increasingly territorial in the past week. Before he loved being petted and would eat out of our hands. There are two possible reasons for his change in behavior:

1. Last week I picked up his bonded mate and held her for longer than I usually do. I just had her held as I usually would but for a longer period of time (like I held her for maybe a full minute). She is more nervous and pretty much everything freaks her out. As soon as I set her back down (after much squawking from both of them) he charged me! I just spoke very sternly to him and he immediately backed off.

2. We bought two ducklings that are now nine days old. The first time he met the girls, this past Sunday, they were separated by chicken wire and he seemed curious but not upset. Today I brought them out again in the same setup and not only did he seem to be attempting to find his way over to them, he also charged me three times AND pecked my leg.

The ONLY reason I agreed to take him was because he is bonded to this older female. He has been so sweet since we got both of them in October 2015. But if this behavior continues...well, I just don't know what to do. I have kids and I can't allow them to be traumatized by a flipping duck. (By the way, the kids are always supervised when with them and know the proper way to handle them. Love feeding them greens by hand.)

Any advice?

 

[lomine]

It's that time of year, mating season. His little duck brain has been overtaken by hormones. It's telling him that you are a threat to his mate/position. I'd do a search on how to deal with aggressive drakes. Many people have had experience with this and offer suggestions. I personally don't have a drake so don't have experience with it.

 

[renzanity]

It's that time of year, mating season. His little duck brain has been overtaken by hormones. It's telling him that you are a threat to his mate/position. I'd do a search on how to deal with aggressive drakes. Many people have had experience with this and offer suggestions. I personally don't have a drake so don't have experience with it.

Ahhh yes! Mating season, that makes sense. Thank you.

Have you ever seen a duck charge, btw? It's pretty hilarious. He just puffs out his feathers and tries to waddle really fast

 

[buff goose guy]

If you scream and act scared he will continue, in fact if you are scared at all he will continue. I mean for peets sake it's a "tiny" duck that the most he will do is give you a bruise and a scratch. If I am ever charged at ,which I am rarely charged at anymore, I simply just look at the duck like " really this again" and either he keeps coming and I gently pick him up and hold him, or they just stop by that point because they see that I don't care.

 

[renzanity]

If you scream and act scared he will continue, in fact if you are scared at all he will continue. I mean for peets sake it's a "tiny" duck that the most he will do is give you a bruise and a scratch.  If I am ever charged at ,which I am rarely charged at anymore, I simply just look at the duck like " really this again" and either he keeps coming and I gently pick him up and hold him, or they just stop by that point because they see that I don't care. 

Thanks for your concern but please spare the lecture. Not once did I say I was scared r that I screamed. I came here trying to figure out his behavior, not to be told that I'm doing something wrong based on your very incorrect assumption.

 

[Adalida]

How old is the drake? You said you got him in October, was he full grown or young? I ask because my Muscovy drake was a sweetheart until he got to about a year old, and then turned into a holy terror. Once he learned that the Runner drakes were afraid of him, he really got mean. Do you have any other drakes?

 

[renzanity]

How old is the drake? You said you got him in October, was he full grown or young? I ask because my Muscovy drake was a sweetheart until he got to about a year old, and then turned into a holy terror. Once he learned that the Runner drakes were afraid of him, he really got mean. Do you have any other drakes?

Hi, thank you! He was just over a year old when I got him - he's about 18 months now. We are his third owners. Never any problems before (his second owner is a good friend/former professor so I know this is odd behavior for him). I'm thinking it's what Iomine said. I'm so sorry to hear about your boy he is our only male.

 

[Adalida]

Someone on here had suggested pinning down an aggressive drake and ruffling his feathers as a sign of your dominance over him. Keep ruffling the feathers until he stops struggling. It sounds meaner than it actually is, so long as you're gentle. My husband did this to the Muscovy and it definitely gave him an attitude adjustment.

 

[buff goose guy]

Quote: Your welcome glad i could help

glad that my advice could help.

I didn't make any assumption I simply said what i said in a general statement. The screaming and running was not directed to you but to anyone having this problem to get some advice of what not to do.