Mating and younger ducks

[loofa]

Okay, I posted yesterday with a similar question but no one seems to have looked at it and I think it's because my post was for an uncommon specific breed, so making it more general.

How much do we need to worry about drakes mating with younger hens? I have a 3 month old hen that I just acquired and of course she really really wants to join the flock, but I know that my drake is likely to want to mate with her - both amorously, and also in a rude dominance establishment that he tends to do with new ducks. How dangerous is this for her? If I need to continue keeping them separate, approximately how old does she need to be before they can all hang out?

Here is the small flock demographics in case that's helpful

1 khaki campbell drake (1.5 yrs old)
1 khaki campbell hen (1.5 yrs old)
2 Swedish blue hens (1.5 yrs old)
1 magpie hen (3 mo old)

 

[Quatie]

It can really depend on the drake. Mine ignores the younger females, but he also has lots of mature ones as well and he is a bit abnormal for a drake. Other drakes will mate females as soon as they get access to them, which if they are not mature can cause damage to them internally. With your small flock, it would probably be better to wait till your female has reached full maturity, about 20 weeks of age.

You can also try splitting the flock up, so your females rotate and interact with your newer one.

 

[loofa]

wow, 20 weeks - 2 more months of keeping them separated, sigh. I do have one of my girls in with her and will take your recommendation of rotating.

 

[Quatie]

wow, 20 weeks - 2 more months of keeping them separated, sigh. I do have one of my girls in with her and will take your recommendation of rotating.

Yeah. Sorry I don't have better answer. Unfortunately, drakes can make things complicated.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Mine are always raised with the drakes. Drakes know when a hen is ready to be bred, so I really couldn’t imagine your boy trying anything with the young female, especially since he has older hens that are available!

 

[loofa]

Mine are always raised with the drakes. Drakes know when a hen is ready to be bred, so I really couldn’t imagine your boy trying anything with the young female, especially since he has older hens that are available!

This is what I've been wondering about!

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

You could try it (under supervision) and see how he does?

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

This is what I've been wondering about!

when/if you let her out, just watch them for a little bit, then if you are comfortable leaving her out, I would!

 

[Quatie]

Mine are always raised with the drakes. Drakes know when a hen is ready to be bred, so I really couldn’t imagine your boy trying anything with the young female, especially since he has older hens that are available!

This is not always true. There are drake who will mate females at very young ages. It sometimes works out with drakes, but there are multiple cases on the site where people have had very young females mated by their older drakes. It can work out, but not always.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

This is not always true. There are drake who will mate females at very young ages. It sometimes works out with drakes, but there are multiple cases on the site where people have had very young females mated by their older drakes. It can work out, but not always.

Ok, well, I’ve had tons of drakes and never had a problem, but it may depend on how you raise them too. I still think they will be fine because their drake has girls that will mate with him.