My drakes are making my hens go bald....any idea what to do?

[KansasKid]

As this years breeding season is underway my drakes have been breading my hens, seems like, every four minutes and they all have big bald spots on the back of there heads where the drakes have been mounting them. I can separate them if i absolutely have to but wondered if there was anything else I could do.

 

[crazyaboutchickens]

buy a chicken saddle . it's the best way

 

[KansasKid]

well thats the thing I've looked and there fine on there backs but on the backs of there heads there's bald spots where the drakes pull feathers out with there beaks

 

[TennesseeTruly]

A chicken saddle isn't going to help with ducks. Its the back of their heads that go bald, not their backs.

How many drakes do you have? How many ducks? It sounds like you don't have enough ducks. I had the same problem and ended up adding a few more ducks so they weren't overbreeding and hurting my females.

Laurie

 

[KansasKid]

I have 4 drakes and 7 hens

 

[KansasKid]

Do you think I have enough?

 

[Katy]

You need to get rid of at least two of the drakes.

 

[afeatherfan]

Quote:
Pen up your drake if they are breeding your female like that. I would not do that to my hen.Poor thing. I got 1 drake to 9 hens and if he starts getting a favorite hen he is dead. I will not put up with a ol horney drake.

 

[Amiga]

KansasKid,

welcome to the Duck forum, and from anything I have heard, you have too many drakes for the number of duck hens you have. I would separate the males right away before anyone gets really hurt, take a deep breath, and decide how to get a better ratio. Minimum three females per male, sometimes six or seven is what works.

Good to see you are paying attention to the flock!

 

[KansasKid]

Thanks for the input, I think what ill do is Make a separate pin and split them up. It will be time consuming but i already have all the materials from one that i recently built, and I really don't want to get rid of my drakes or hens.