My Drakes Won't Play Nice

[Tannerpauldean]

I recently started my first flock of ducks. I chose Indian Runners after much research, because of the temperament and the egg production.

However, the only ducks available to me were 2 drakes and 1 duck. I originally thought it would work, but now I'm not so sure. The drakes will not stop fighting - all day every day for a week. The weaker of the two has had patches of feathers torn out, and has been tore up pretty rough about the neck. Is this behavior normal?

Is there a way to minimize their aggression toward one another? Their previous residence had a lot of fowl mingled together, so it may help to bring in another female? Or perhaps I should separate them?

I live in an area that where ducks are scarce. I may be able to find a female Pekin in a relatively short time, but I doubt I can find another female runner anytime soon.

Any advice from more experienced flock managers?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Geese do well in pairs. Some chickens do well in pairs. Ducks...usually don't.
If I had a trio of ducks, it would be the other way around--one male, two females. I would prefer 1:3 m:f, or even better, 1:4. For two drakes, you want at least four girls to minimise bullying and overbreeding (drakes are gang-rapists), and I would feel better with six or more.

Even with good ratios you can't always guarantee that they'll get along--mature drakes often just don't unless they have lots of space--acres of it--or a lot of other ducks to loose themselves among.

I would get rid of one of the drakes (probably the weaker one) and just get one or two more females if you don't want to be running a large flock of ducks.

Hope you have better luck than you've been having.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

Geese do well in pairs. Some chickens do well in pairs. Ducks...usually don't.
If I had a trio of ducks, it would be the other way around--one male, two females. I would prefer 1:3 m:f, or even better, 1:4. For two drakes, you want at least four girls to minimise bullying and overbreeding (drakes are gang-rapists), and I would feel better with six or more.

Even with good ratios you can't always guarantee that they'll get along--mature drakes often just don't unless they have lots of space--acres of it--or a lot of other ducks to loose themselves among.

I would get rid of one of the drakes (probably the weaker one) and just get one or two more females if you don't want to be running a large flock of ducks.

Hope you have better luck than you've been having.

Thank you very much for the excellent insight. I was thinking that getting rid of one of the drakes would be the best course of action, but I was hoping for a way to keep them both. So you think it would be better to keep the stronger drake - what if he ends up bullying the duck after I get rid of the second drake?

 

[CayugaJana]

I’d keep which ever one fits your needs. Are you going to breed them and want the most physically fit one? Or do you want them as pets and you want the one who’s being a turd gone? Either will be fine.

 

[CayugaJana]

I had the same problem here recently and I had to cull one. Which stinks because I like all of them but he was causing problems so he had to go.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I am torn on which one to remove. I do want to breed them, but I don't know if the physical fitness is worth the price of aggression. My end goal is to have a small flock to provide my household enough eggs to sustain us. I suppose I will have to really think about it.

For now, I am locally listing one duck for sale. If I can't sell him soon, I will have to cull one of them, as CayugaJana had to do.

 

[CayugaJana]

For my ladies sake, I picked the less aggressive one. We just have the ducks for entertainment, teaching our children, and the eggs.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

That's a very good point. I need to start watching to see how they treat her. I will also consider how the Drake will treat potential ducklings, as I have heard they can be quite vicious to little ones.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had to make a similar decision last year when I had 2 Runner drakes and knew when hormones hit it was going to be trouble. I chose the less dominant of the 2 and it has worked out great. This drake is so good to his ladies.
I'd still get a least 1-3 more females for which ever drake you choose because he can still be rough on your only female it's just part of being a duck.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I had to make a similar decision last year when I had 2 Runner drakes and knew when hormones hit it was going to be trouble. I chose the less dominant of the 2 and it has worked out great. This drake is so good to his ladies.
I'd still get a least 1-3 more females for which ever drake you choose because he can still be rough on your only female it's just part of being a duck.

Glad to hear this worked out. I am a bit partial to the weaker of the two. But then again I have always rooted for the underdog.

I will definitely get more females. I just have to bide my time, because they never seem to be available here.