Mean call ducks

[chikky]

Last fall I bought 2 call duck drakes at a swap meet. One of them (Curly) is mean as dirt to my Frizzle rooster. They were ganging up on him so much that I finally separated the chickens from the ducks. They've been separate ever since. The ducks stick their heads through the fence to bite at the chickens (which they can't- the chickens stay away). The chickens get to run loose when I'm home and today I let the ducks loose too. As soon as they could, they were again beating up on the rooster and pulling his feathers out- so that didn't last too long. What's their problem? I'm gonna try just letting one out- maybe he'll be better behaved. Any other suggestions? What a bunch of meanies! They pace back & forth in their pen and seem bored. They have a kiddie pool, grass, etc. in a 100 sq. foot pen. These are my first ducks....not too impressed so far!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
The problem is that you have two drakes and no girlies for them.

My call drake is very... umm.... dedicated to his "manliness"... and he wants ALL the girls (even the swedish girls who are way too big for him - doesn't stop him from trying).

The two drakes see your rooster as the third wheel, and the roo is "infringing" on the available women.

If you get them some females I can guarantee it'll at least get better for the rooster - might not end totally - but they'll be so busy with the girls they probably won't have time for harassing the chickens.

meri

 

[chikky]

Ugh....How many females per male? I'm thinking I should trade a male for a female so that I just have a pair. The 2 guys would probably wear out one female - am I thinking right?

 

[PeepsInc]

I had 3 - 3 month old call ducks.2 whites & a blue back. The drake was very defensive of his hens. He would attack any bird that came near his hens. He even tried bulldozing my 3 week old bantam chicks. Sadly a beagle that we adopted got outside on his own & killed my little blue back drake. Now that he's gone I have no problems with the other 2 being with the smaller birds. I dont know if there hen & drake, or 2 hens. I do miss my little drake.

Any one out there have blue call duck eggs?

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
Yeah, you might want to swap one male for a female, and maybe add in one other female at least - My blue drake has one female, but he still tries to mate the swedish ducks

He had another female, but I sold her with a silver male, so he is down to one again.

I have some other girls, but they are young, yet, so he can't exactly mate them. They'll be old enough by the spring. My adult call girl has pretty much quit laying for the year. It got hot so fast, and she went through a molt halfway through her laying cycle. This is her first year laying, so I'm not surprized it's a bit messed up.

My plan is to have two to three females per male - and hope that solves the agressive problems (although my swedish male tries to mate everyone, too - must just be a guy thing

).

meri

 

[Wifezilla]

I have 1 drake and 5 hens. I have had 1/3 before. That works fine too. I wouldn't get less than 2 girls/boy.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

For call ducks I wouldnt keep more than 1 drake to 2 hens. 1 drake to 3 hens at the most.

Mating with too many hens can cause the drake to prolapse during the breeding season.

 

[chikky]

Thanks everyone for your input. Looks like I'll be girlfriend shopping.