Mating and younger ducks

[raingarden]

It will probably only take about five minutes to find out. Just have a plan for how to separate them if it gets out of hand.

 

[Quatie]

I personally have not had this problem yet. There was one thread on here where a drake mated 6-8 week old female duck, injured her and she was having a hard time moving after it. That is a particularly extreme example, but it can happen.

But again lots of people, like myself have not had a problem. It really just depends on your drake. You can definitely try it out and see how it goes. You may have more success right now that is not the mating season. Just like @raingarden said, be prepared to seperate them if it goes badly. I do really hope it works out, but drakes can be jerks sometimes.

 

[Quatie]

@loofa did you try seeing how your drake interacted with your new female?

 

[loofa]

@loofa did you try seeing how your drake interacted with your new female?

I just put them all in the pen together today for a supervised hang out while I was doing some cleaning. He did not try to mount her, mostly just nipped at her and chased her a bit to let her know she's low duck in the pecking order. But then they both got in the wading pool and she flattened out so I intervened before he got ideas. I'm going to take it slow with just supervised flock time for a bit to make sure.

 

[Quatie]

I just put them all in the pen together today for a supervised hang out while I was doing some cleaning. He did not try to mount her, mostly just nipped at her and chased her a bit to let her know she's low duck in the pecking order. But then they both got in the wading pool and she flattened out so I intervened before he got ideas. I'm going to take it slow with just supervised flock time for a bit to make sure.

Glad to hear things are going well overall. Sounds like you have things in good hands.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Runners totally shocked me they were mating at 4 months and laying at 4.5 months. Only having Muscovy before and them mating and laying around 8-9 months old really was a shock to me these ducks started so early.
.

 

[loofa]

well we've mostly kept her separate from our drake so far other than a couple of supervised hang outs, and then yesterday he tried to mount her - back in separate spaces they went. She always has another hen in with her so she won't be lonely but she wants to be with the rest of the flock so badly that sometimes I wonder if the stress of pacing the fenceline wanting out isn't worse than the stress of being low duck on the pecking order and perhaps being mated - she's 3.5 months now. I think it's certain our drake will mate her, but he's not really in season, so I don't THINK it will be excessive (as we have seen him get with other new girls in spring/summer).

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

well we've mostly kept her separate from our drake so far other than a couple of supervised hang outs, and then yesterday he tried to mount her - back in separate spaces they went. She always has another hen in with her so she won't be lonely but she wants to be with the rest of the flock so badly that sometimes I wonder if the stress of pacing the fenceline wanting out isn't worse than the stress of being low duck on the pecking order and perhaps being mated - she's 3.5 months now. I think it's certain our drake will mate her, but he's not really in season, so I don't THINK it will be excessive (as we have seen him get with other new girls in spring/summer).

Is she allowing him to mount her?

 

[loofa]

Is she allowing him to mount her?

She flattens out before everyone, the other hens, the drake - seems to be a submissive move on her part, so yes, if we didn't intervene I do think she would allow it. Our drake is switching between trying to mount her and just pecking at her to chase her away a bit (nothing too aggressive on that count, but keeps her on her toes). they still haven't spent more than 5 to 20 minutes in the same space because we are only having supervised visits and it's COLD outside

 

[loofa]

She's 3.5 months old now