Mallard drake thinks he should be head roo!

[keeperofthehearth]

We had two mallard drakes who seemed to get along with all our chickens. Winter is on it's way and those two boys were just sooo messy with the water(they stay w/chickens in the shed) that we decided to process them. We processed one just a few days ago and now our lone drake has changed his personality. He began seriously fighting w/our head roo Trevor. He had ahold of Trevors tail feathers and wouldn't let go, pulled a bunch of those beauties out! I broke up 3 fights just this morning. It was kind of funny watching that drake chase Trevor down with his snakey neck going but thought it was enough when the girls were getting all panicky and Trevor was having a hard time keeping his feathers intact. Duddly is now in a dog kennel awaiting his fate.

Now why would Duddly's personality change once his duck friend, Dash, was no longer with us? Do you think dealing w/Dash on a daily basis kept both in line? Was Duddly "waiting for his chance" once the dominate Dash was dispatched? Hmmmmmm

 

[stefaniegibbs35]

Ducks are so very social and love to be together they form strong bonds male/male female/female any combo..If I seperate one of mine for any reason they completely change the way they act..They can get mean they freak out..Then as soon as they are back together everything is fine! If you only had the 2 ducks and 1 now is gone it has probaly been tramic on the other duck causing a personalitity change!

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

Any change in the social structure of animals (through death or whatever), whether chickens, ducks, wolves, dogs, etc can result in a battle for flock hierarchy.