Muscovy hen biting problems.

[AviansLove]

I have 2 muscovies, one of my hens is biting me and acting like a drake, she isn't a drake because I have a drake (they sleep separately till I can get more hens since I had rescued these guys) and she is NOWHERE near the size of him, she has a smaller face, feet, and she is even smaller than most hens. Well ever since I got rid of the dominant drakes for fighting with each other I kept 2, The friendly drake and the hen, my favorite. Will, the drake started hurting bella so I separated them at night so they have there own coops, I do have other ducks, but ever since she had been separated it night from him she has been acting up like a drake, biting visitors, chasing them, and hissing, it doesn't happen as much as it does my drake but what is going on with her?

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

I'm new to ducks and just recently got two Muscovy ducklings. I'm sure others like @Miss Lydia can help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you think she maybe Broody? Is she laying? My females can act up when broody but they never attack anyone but the other ducks or chickens if they get in her way. Maybe put her in with some female ducks. They might put her in her place.

 

[AviansLove]

Do you think she maybe Broody? Is she laying? My females can act up when broody but they never attack anyone but the other ducks or chickens if they get in her way. Maybe put her in with some female ducks. They might put her in her place.

She is only 6 months old and has not started laying, my drake tries mounting her but she refuses so I do not think she is broody. My other ducks are scared of her so I don't find that as an option. Anything else I could try?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you put her in with your drake? she old enough to breed. Even though all mine have been 8-9 months old before breeding and laying. I have only had to deal with this with my Muscovy drake and I don't put up with it. I flatten him on the ground on his belly hold one hand where neck and body meet so he can't bite me and put the other hand at end of body where tail meets it. He isn't allowed up till he quits fighting.

It's not an over night fix but it has worked and now that he's8 yrs old I just have to remind him once in awhile he cannot act like that.

 

[AviansLove]

Can you put her in with your drake? she old enough to breed. Even though all mine have been 8-9 months old before breeding and laying. I have only had to deal with this with my Muscovy drake and I don't put up with it. I flatten him on the ground on his belly hold one hand where neck and body meet so he can't bite me and put the other hand at end of body where tail meets it. He isn't allowed up till he quits fighting.

It's not an over night fix but it has worked and now that he's 8 yrs old I just have to remind him once in awhile he cannot act like that.

alright... the thing i'm scared of though is him hurting her again. He can only get her at night since he is fat and pretty slow, she is fast and can fly the tiniest bit, maybe not even an inch of the ground but it makes her go faster, now she is even scared to sleep with him, she sneaks into the chicken coop at night instead of the coop with him (i put her back in her coop and him back in his) The thing that scares me is him over breeding her, he is very aggressive towards her and at one point made her bleed. I am planning on getting rid of him once I get more females for my hen.

 

[AviansLove]

She won't even go near him in the day, she stays by an old mirror and sits by it, thinking it's another hen i'm guessing? The drake has sprained his leg 3 times already chasing her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well that's not good if he made her bleed. Duck sex is rough but I draw the line when one of my females is getting hurt.

Maybe you should keep her with your other ducks and go ahead an rehome this drake and begin your search for more female Muscovy.
How long have you had your Muscovy?

 

[AviansLove]

Well that's not good if he made her bleed. Duck sex is rough but I draw the line when one of my females is getting hurt.

Maybe you should keep her with your other ducks and go ahead an rehome this drake and begin your search for more female Muscovy.
How long have you had your Muscovy?

I have had them since ducklings. I got them at TSC, which now I regret because I hear so many great things about muscovies but I get the bad luck here lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love my Muscovy ducks, Yes they can be a pain when broody but I guess I have put up with it so long it's second nature. lol
Temperamental females when broody. Which is often.
Most all my drakes have been good boys just can't keep more than 1 as you found out. This drake I have now from hatch 8 yrs ago imprinted on me since his mom didn't want him so he tries once in a while now to treat me like one of his females. Wants to grab me and bite. Maybe try this on your female put her in her place.