Multiple Roosters and Ducks

[Chelseasducks]

I have 4 female and 4 drake ducks so we know we have too many drakes. Long story short, these animals came from the neighbor that couldn't take care of them. The neighbor has also loaded 5 roosters that don't seem to be leaving our property.

As the weather is starting to cool in Michigan, I am worried about the winter. Will my girl ducks be safe with the roosters in their coop at night or should I be building another coop just for the roosters? Do roosters require shelter? As stated, these animals have been coming to me over the months so I'm trying to do the best I can. Since we didn't plan to have them, it's all backwards!

 

[fatty and friends]

maybe someone else will answer this, could you keep the roosters and drakes all together in one coop and the hens seperate in another?

lots of people keep all drakes or all rooster flocks, i’ve never had roosters though so i’m not sure how’d they do with ducks

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'd be more concerned of the drakes harming the roosters if they try to breed. A rooster is just going to humiliate ducks that he happens to mount, but a drake can kill a rooster he mounts.

And yes, roosters, just like hens, need shelter.

A rooster may annoy ducks when he tries to breed since he isn't the right species or has the right anatomy, but he won't hurt them. They might not even breed honestly, they aren't quite as... progressive as drakes when it comes to breeding

 

[Aunt Angus]

I don't have any drakes, but I do have ducks and a rooster. My rooster has never bothered my ducks at all. Never tried to mate with them or anything.

That said, I have heard of drakes mounting, well, anything. I could see that being an issue. I don't really know what I would do in your situation. I'd likely give them all their own shelters, or house one drake with the ducks and keep the others separate.

 

[Duckiiess]

Do you want to keep the roosters? If not, they make for delicious soup!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Drakes and roosters can be mortal enemies. Somehow they know they are all male and have the male instincts to dominate each other no matter the species. I've read of drakes and roosters fighting and the rooster loosing its life. I would never house them together. Not even all drake or all rooster flocks work out.
And, yes you could put the roosters in with the females - if you only housed them at night. But, if there is a time they would need cooped, it could be problematic for a variety of reasons.
Now, I do have a rooster and a drake and sometimes they are in the same area with no issues, but they are not housed together.
It could work if you had a huge structure like a barn where you could put up partitions to keep each species & sex in the proper area.

If it were me, I would either find homes for all of the extra males or as suggested above they go to freezer camp. You don't want someone else's problem to become your problem.

 

[Chelseasducks]

We are vegetarians so I think I'll build a separate coop for the roosters. I would rather not worry about potential fights that may happen. Thank you for all the suggestions.