Mating vs Drowning

[Tevyes Dad]

My runner ducks love one of my ganders. They follow him around all the time trying to get him to mate with them. Last spring I was worried that he was going to drown the poor things in the pond, but he didn't.

I've seen my big pekin drake and my rouen drake mate my little runner cross.(she is quite the hussy and practically badgers them to death until they do)

At first I was worried about her, but it didn't take long to realize she wasn't dumb and would lift her head up long enough to take a breath if she needed to. Ducks are pretty quick at their "business" anyway. And a duck can hold their breath for quite sometime.

I guess I should edit and add that it is INDEED possible for them to drown, so keep an eye out. But it has been my experience that usually they are just fine.

LOL! I have the same problem with one of my young runner girls. The ganders mostly seem irritated by her behavior - LOL!

Hmmmm, Dove, a Chocolate runner, is our flock hussy. She will throw herself under anything with wings, boy or girl... Do I detect a pattern????

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hmmmm, Dove, a Chocolate runner, is our flock hussy. She will throw herself under anything with wings, boy or girl... Do I detect a pattern????

I'd have to toss all my Runners in on this my gosh are they brazen they throw themselves are Snoop the Runner drake and one of mine has a thing for Sam my gander so far he only look at her but goose mating season is just around the corner.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

I'd have to toss all my Runners in on this my gosh are they brazen they throw themselves are Snoop the Runner drake and one of mine has a thing for Sam my gander so far he only look at her but goose mating season is just around the corner.

Oh! Sammy please behave for she knows not what she does.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh! Sammy please behave for she knows not what she does.

 

[Redwine2001]

I'm in the same boat (pool?). Except I have a huge Rouen drake trying to mount a mallard. It's got me very worried......

 

[Redwine2001]

I have a female Rouen and two male Swedish blues and 1 male Peking. I worry about my little girl. I tried to separate them but the boys paced the fence and the little girl eventually found her way under the fence to get back with the boys. I worry she's getting hurt, and I want to re home two of the males. But now I'm not sure that I should because they all seem very bonded. What do others think??

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a female Rouen and two male Swedish blues and 1 male Peking. I worry about my little girl. I tried to separate them but the boys paced the fence and the little girl eventually found her way under the fence to get back with the boys. I worry she's getting hurt, and I want to re home two of the males. But now I'm not sure that I should because they all seem very bonded. What do others think??

@Redwine2001 So you have 3 drakes 2 females and 1 of them is a Mallard? Have you seen signs they are hurting her. Feathers missing on her neck down to skin and sore areas. It is our responsibility to protect our females but they are pretty hardy lil things. So unless you are seeing actual injuries I would just keep an eye on her and the drakes. The worst would be if the drakes ganged up on her. Then you def need to step in and keep her separated from them. They def like to be with the flock but 3 drakes to 2 females is not a good ratio, It is usually best to have at least 3 and up females per drake.

 

[Redwine2001]

@Redwine2001
  So you have 3 drakes 2 females and 1 of them is a Mallard?  Have you seen signs they are hurting her.  Feathers missing on her neck down to skin and sore areas.  It is our responsibility to protect our females but they are pretty hardy lil things.  So unless you are seeing actual injuries I would just keep an eye on her and the drakes.  The worst would be if the drakes ganged up on her.  Then you def need to step in and keep her separated from them.  They def like to be with the flock but 3 drakes to 2 females is not a good ratio, It is usually best to have at least 3 and up females per drake.

 

[Redwine2001]

I have one female and three drakes

I need to rehome two of the boys it sounds like

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have one female and three drakes

I need to rehome two of the boys it sounds like

Or get more girls

So your female is Rouen. I have no idea where I got Mallard from. It's a very hard thing to find homes for our drakes. I have had to do it a few times for the health of the flock and it is very hard.