My Drake went "Loco" any advice?

[aduckstolemyheart]

I have a Pekin drake that I have owned for over a year. He used to be the sweetest thing in the world, then he gradually turned ornery and would occasionally try his luck at biting me, and bullying me, but a quick flip to his back and he'd run away and fluff his feathers at me, and pout, but that would be the extent of his tantrum.

In the last week or two, he has gone progressively more weird and aggressive and is now a hair short of Psycho. Every time I walk outside he charges me, and I don't mean just runs, but BARRELS over in what I call his "penguin" run. Then he attacks my feet if I have exposed toes and pinches the h*ll out of me, I reach down to push him off and he bites me at every inch of bare flesh he can find. He will not back down, is quick and deadly accurate with his lunges and bites. lol I have tried everything I can think of to gain my "leader" status back and he will not step down.

I have tried, gently holding his bill, I have tried putting him on his back, firm 'no's' and nothing is working. I have NEVER seen him like this, and he seems to ONLY do it to me. He loves my husband now. Which is weird.

I used to be his 'person', now he won't quit attacking me. Only change I can think of, is that he used to be an only duck, but as soon as duck season hit, I bought him two other ducks for his "flock" they are out with him full time now, and are 2 and half months old.

Any help? Because this is truly now, ridiculous.

 

[Happyflower]

You betrayed him!

I imagine the other ducks have something to do with it, have you tried his favorite treats?

 

[duckyfromoz]

The only other thing I can suggest is when he charges at you...Pick him up and tuck him under one arm if you can . Carry him around for a minute or two while you go about what you were going to do outside- holding or pushing away his beak if he continues to try and bite you. I had a drake that was doing that- and I only had to turn him on his back. But I have read here of someone else picking up the drake as described and having success.

 

[duckgirl_19]

maybe hes doing this because your a female and maybe he likes your husband because hes a male too???? but i dont.

 

[PlumTuckered]

My Pekin Drake did the same thing when I wouldn't let him near my younger Pekin Hen. He had two Hens the same age as him but really really wanted the young one as well. He'd bite my toes, arms, legs, back when I was bent down cleaning dishes out. I put him on his back..no change, carried him around..worked for a day or two. Finally I "flat ducked" him, I firmly pressed my hand down on his back until he was flat on the ground, held him that way for a couple of minutes and he went back to being his sweet self. Hope it works for you.

Michelle

 

[poultrypatch]

You say your toes are 'bare'. Are/were they always or is this something new ??? I have certain shoes I wear in with my chickens and ducks. Dark colors. One day on my way out I noticed an egg on the ground in their pen. I went in to pick it up with my 'good' shoes on. They are tan suede mules. I thought I had stepped on my big roo. No, he attacked my shoes because they weren't the ones he was used to ! I had trouble getting him off of my feet ! LOL I've never worn them in again but have stood outside the chainlink fence and he's come up and watched my shoes like they are the enemy.
Liz
MA

 

[sianara]

It's breeding season and it sounds like he is defending his flock.

 

[evonne]

Quote:
this is my vote too.... either defending, or he sees you as his female.... and he's trying to get you to submit...

mine are a year old and very violent right now.. i ended up with 3 drakes, and i had to pen them away from my chickens because the 3 would team up on any hen that came around.... and they come after me now too....
when they come after me, or they're teaming up on a hen i grab them by the neck and fling them into their pool.... and usually at this point i'm mad enough that if it does end up hurting them i don't care.. they can be dinner.... they're pissing me off.... i need to get them some girls of get rid of them, but my 7 yr old really wants to keep them....
OMG i wanted to throw him across the pen into the pool the other day.. he thought it would be funny to throw my RIR hen in their pen... and sat and laughed as they pinned her down and proceeded to bite at her head... i was about to craig's list them at that point but he cried for 2 hours...

 

[lovesduckies]

Quote:
this is my vote too.... either defending, or he sees you as his female.... and he's trying to get you to submit...

i agree with the above. my drake often bites me. actually last night he got both my thumbs. he only does it so often and he loves me more than his hen lol so i am guessing he wants to mate. could be the same with your drake.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I wondered about that myself. He and I were really close for a long time and his behavior now is disheartening. It's almost funny because the MINUTE he hears me coming he flies across the yard, faster than I have ever seen a duck move to get right at my feet. Then he either bites my feet or jumps up for my hands! lol I thought for a while, he thought I was his "woman" cuz he kept jumping on me and I SWEAR I saw his ahem...appendage one time.

I will try the idea someone mentioned above about pushing him down. I am willing to try anything, I need my sweet Bella back!


He doesn't try to mate with our female at all, that I can see. I have never even once seen him go after our hen. I think he tried to mate with our other younger drake once, as he was on his back and biting his neck. I have heard stories of peoples drakes going after their hens, but he never does, is this normal, or what's going on??


Sorry I wasn't back to respond right away, I have a ferret with a spinal tumor, who progressed to paralysis and I have been sooo busy here with her care. Thanks for all the responses, and if anyone has any more insight into his behavior and his seeming lack of interest in our hen, please chime in!