Much needed duck and drake advice please

[Anna Ranieri]

We are new to duck keeping and got our first ever ducks in may this year we got two Indian Runners un-sexed which the sellers had kept in three partitioned sections, the first section was aged 1 to 7 days, the second section 1 to 3 weeks and the third section was for 3 to 5 weeks old so we only have approximate ages for the both - our first is now aged anything between 15/17 weeks and the other anything between 14/16 weeks, neither have sexually matured yet. When having realised some time ago both are drakes, we bought Khaki Campbells - what we believe are females - however at the time of buying we were told they were ten weeks old which would have made them both 13 weeks old now but it has been brought to our attention that a mistake was made and that one was only 6 weeks old and the other only 7 weeks old at the time of buying which means one is only 9 weeks old and the other is 10 weeks old - They have formed a flock and a very close bond so we are not going to change any of them but my worry is that if the drakes sexually mature in the next couple of weeks or so, am I right in thinking the hens will be too young to be mated with? (in two weeks one would only be 11 weeks and the other 12 weeks) If so should I separate them straight away or would I be ok to wait and see - the reason I ask this is because the females scream their heads off if we take any of the flock away and will do so if we take their boys away. Would appreciate as much help and advice on this as possible please

 

[Cayuga momma]

Everyone's flock is different. You know what the worse case scenario is, so just watched them. If you see aggression then you might have to remove one or both males. You might have one male who is sweet to them and another who gets jealous and tries to hurt the other male and the girls.
I wish you the best with them!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Everyone's flock is different. You know what the worse case scenario is, so just watched them. If you see aggression then you might have to remove one or both males. You might have one male who is sweet to them and another who gets jealous and tries to hurt the other male and the girls.
I wish you the best with them!

Thank you greatly - so far both drakes are good with them, there is the usual packing order but neither boys bully, nor bite, if wanting the girls to move they tend to prod or push them with their head or beak but never hurt them and the girls usually run around them and end up back where they'd just been moved from lol - I noticed earlier today one of the girls snapped at one of my chicken hens, so I am keeping a close eye on them also. If the boys don't get aggressive, will the girls be old enough for the boys to mate with them?

 

[Cayuga momma]

If the boys don't get aggressive, will the girls be old enough for the boys to mate with them?

That I don't know we will have to get someone more experienced on here to help with that question.
@WVduckchick @Miss Lydia @casportpony
@chickens really

 

[chickens really]

Nothing too serious will happen until they all are sexually mature. Keep waiting. Next spring during breeding season you will probably need to separate the Drakes..

 

[WVduckchick]

I don’t have either of those breeds, but the drakes will likely try to mate them before they are ready, that’s very common in general. But the girls may be big enough by the time they try. As was said, all flocks are different, so it’s good that you are already aware and concerned. I’d just keep a close eye on them and be ready to separate them if necessary.

Are they kept with the chickens?

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Runners were sexually mature at 4 months of age and the girls let the boys know they were ready so hopefully your boys will not get sexual with these young females until they give the okay but your right to watch just in case. Mine hatched end of April and were mating first part of Sept same year. I'd love to see some pics of them all.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I don’t have either of those breeds, but the drakes will likely try to mate them before they are ready, that’s very common in general. But the girls may be big enough by the time they try. As was said, all flocks are different, so it’s good that you are already aware and concerned. I’d just keep a close eye on them and be ready to separate them if necessary.

Are they kept with the chickens?

At the moment they share a run and obviously the garden they free range in, they sleep separately though and are locked in their separate hutches at night. We have plans to extend the run starting early spring, then they'll each have their own run as well, but we are limited on funds and need time to accumulate what we need for the extension. I realise there is a risk but we keep a very close eye on them. We free range them every day, if like now they are out there on their own, I can see and hear everything - we live in a bungalow - the ducks are currently swimming in their pool which is underneath my bedroom window, the hens are chasing bugs and the drakes are standing under my window rasping at me because I'm late giving them their night time snack. The hens have places to fly up to in the run should they ever need to and plenty of places in the garden the ducks can't reach or get to, and they can get in our bungalow - (they like to sleep on my bed which is a habit I am working on breaking) the ducks can't get in our bungalow unless the door is opened for them.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Nothing too serious will happen until they all are sexually mature. Keep waiting. Next spring during breeding season you will probably need to separate the Drakes..

We are hoping these will be fine as a flock of four ( two pairs) because they come from pairs (parents of girls are from flock of four, two drakes two ducks, boys are from a larger flock but is same duck/drake ratio) neither flocks have any problems, both flocks are established the girls parents flock have been together four years, the boys flock longer, however if needs be we will add more females but don't want to unless we really have to.

 

[PirateGirl]

As others have said, it's really a wait and watch and see what happens situation. I think the size of the hens vs. drakes makes a difference. The closer they are in size, or if the hens are larger, the less likely the males can seriously hurt them.