My duck thinks he is a chicken...

[MegInTexas]

My Rouen drake came to us last year with another duckling. She unfortunately didn't make it, so Doofus (as he is affectionately known) was raised in the chicken flock. This year we added 10 Khaki Campbell ducks to our menagerie. Doofus will not socialize with the other ducks at all. He is turned out with them each morning, but neurotically tries to get in the chicken run with the chickens. He even tries to mate my chicken hens, but will not go near my duck hens. Is there any chance that poor Doofus will realize he is a drake and not a rooster?

 

[sourland]

First thing that I would do is separate him from the chicken hens and put him with the ducks. Drakes have penises - roosters do not. Drakes breeding chicken hens can injure/kill them.

 

[Weeg]

We had a young pullet who was raised with the ducks and always wanted to be with the ducks, I'm not sure if he will adjust or not, but give it time. In the mean time, keep him away from the hens! Roosters and Drakes mate differently, and if he successfully mates with your hens, he could kill them!!! Keep him separated until he figures things out, for you hens safety.

 

[MegInTexas]

First thing that I would do is separate him from the chicken hens and put him with the ducks. Drakes have penises - roosters do not. Drakes breeding chicken hens can injure/kill them.

We have them separated. Once he started trying to mount them, I removed him. That is actually the reason we decided to get the khakis.

 

[ruthhope]

Poor confused Doofus. I do hope by completely separating him from the chickens that he quickly realises he is a duck

 

[Yardmom]

We had a duckling that was with the chicks we got from a hatchery a few years ago. We bought a few ducklings elsewhere, but the single duckling would hide if placed with the other ducklings until we moved a chick too. At the time we completely free ranged our adult ducks. When released with the big birds the chick/ duckling pair would bounce between the ducks and the chickens. They would sleep by the ducks with the now young cockeral in a tree next to the pond. Unfortunately the cockeral was taken by a predator. The single duckling decided to find her other chicken friends. She would climb the steps (no easy feat for a duck)to get to the chicken coop.
Did this duck ever realize it was a duck? Yes. I think so. We moved a drake into the chicken coop for its protection from predators( I believe this worked because it was not brooded with chickens) After a month or so the duck and drake paired. They continued to sleep in the chicken coop until the duck was taken by a predator during the day.