My female duck died, should I get another one for my male duck?

Date sort Score sort
S

Snjezana

In the Brooder
Oct 11, 2021
18
14
31
Hello! My name is Snjezana, and I am from Europe. I would like to ask you for an advice and I hope that you will be able to reach me. So, here is the story. Three years ago I got two Muscovy duck from my neighbor, a male and a female, and I kept them as pets. Last Monday my female duck died. I am still in the shock and very sad. So, for the last of couple of days I make my male duck a company, in my free time, because I don't want him to be sad or lonely. And my question to you is what do you advise me to do? Should I get another duck? Should I get a duckling or an adult? There is also a background story about their relationship. She was very dominant duck, and sometimes aggressive towards him in a way that she would hurt him, when I was not present to intervene. When I wanted to give them a treat, she would want to eat it all by herself chasing the male away, the same thing was with their swimming pool. I even had to separate them in their house, with the transparent net, just to keep him safe, because, there were occasion when the female duck attacked the male duck. She did not behave like that all the time, but she had her period of time. She was very shy too, so she would occasionally run away from me when I wanted to get closer to her. I loved her anyway, her name was Bella. On the other hand, the male was very protective over his female companion, and until I learned he attacked me and my family members several times, while I was working in the garden or while I was walking through the nearby orchard, for no reason or because his duck was too close to us. When he sees me or if I am not careful around him, he often wants to pinch me. We have cats at home, and my duck is not very friendly towards them, neither was she. My worries are, should I get him a companion? Should it be a male or a female? And if I get a female will he attack her before she reaches her sexual maturity? Is it safe to leave a duckling with an adult male? Thank you for your help, time and attention. With kind regards, Snowy
 
I'm sorry that you lost Bella. I don't have any experience with Muscovies, all of my ducks are runners. But, I think your drake would be happier with a companion.

I wouldn't put a duckling alone with him. When I introduce new babies to the flock, I wait until the ducklings are big enough to hold their own with the adults.

Since it's impossible to predict how he will get along with a new companion, I would get two females. That could help reduce the chances that he would mate too much with either one. My runner drakes have been pretty accepting of a new drake, but I'm not sure that's always the case.

Good luck with your boy, and again, I'm truly sorry about Bella.
 
Callender Girl said:
I'm sorry that you lost Bella. I don't have any experience with Muscovies, all of my ducks are runners. But, I think your drake would be happier with a companion.

I wouldn't put a duckling alone with him. When I introduce new babies to the flock, I wait until the ducklings are big enough to hold their own with the adults.

Since it's impossible to predict how he will get along with a new companion, I would get two females. That could help reduce the chances that he would mate too much with either one. My runner drakes have been pretty accepting of a new drake, but I'm not sure that's always the case.

Good luck with your boy, and again, I'm truly sorry about Bella.
Click to expand...
Thank you for you reply and your kindness. Today I talked to the local vet and he gave me a similar advice. He told me to get one or two young females, but I don't have a lot space to keep them together. Their house is big enough for two or three ducks to be comfortable, but my latter experience was that my duck fought, so I had to put a net between them, and I am fearful that it might happen again. I am definitely considering taking one female duck for now. I am in charge for the animals, since my parents are not interested in taking care of them properly, because of their age of course and because of my drake's nature. My drake likes to bite and pinch, and he hurt me several times, until I learned to always be careful around him. I am not sure if he knows the difference between being in his space and giving him a treat, because at one moment he is enjoying his treat, and in the next one he is walking around me searching for a "weak spot" to pinch me really hard.
There is also one thing that I would like to mention. Bella and William are my first ducks, and we got them, we/ I didn't know anything about raising ducks and their training. In the beginning, all that mattered to me was to keep them safe, warm, and alive (we bought a house 100 meters from forest). We only had two of them back then and, ducklings followed us everywhere, what later became their habit. One of their habits was (and still is to the drake) besides spending time in orchard and sometimes in the garden eating vegetables- was siting on the terrace, where we sit, in front of the house doors especially during cold days, when they are alone outside. It was part of the Bella's morning routine to prune on the terrace. Last spring we built them a duck run to keep them safe when they are outside alone, but didn't like to spend time there. They couldn't last in there for more than two hours a day, and they would usually got upset when they would see us walking or working outside. We made the duck run out of woods and transparent net and it is pretty spacious. Lately, I didn't try to leave my drake alone in it, so during the daytime he is in sitting in front my house doors/terrace, until I take him for a walk, every afternoon. That is his "free range area", he can wander around the yard, through the orchard and garden, but during cold weather, he chooses to sit on the terrace. My worries are, when I get him a new companion, where should I keep her and how to train her to not to be on the terrace all the time? What if she follows him and copy his habits?
Thanks a lot.
 
Last edited:
Snjezana said:
Hello! My name is Snjezana, and I am from Europe. I would like to ask you for an advice and I hope that you will be able to reach me. So, here is the story. Three years ago I got two Muscovy duck from my neighbor, a male and a female, and I kept them as pets. Last Monday my female duck died. I am still in the shock and very sad. So, for the last of couple of days I make my male duck a company, in my free time, because I don't want him to be sad or lonely. And my question to you is what do you advise me to do? Should I get another duck? Should I get a duckling or an adult? There is also a background story about their relationship. She was very dominant duck, and sometimes aggressive towards him in a way that she would hurt him, when I was not present to intervene. When I wanted to give them a treat, she would want to eat it all by herself chasing the male away, the same thing was with their swimming pool. I even had to separate them in their house, with the transparent net, just to keep him safe, because, there were occasion when the female duck attacked the male duck. She did not behave like that all the time, but she had her period of time. She was very shy too, so she would occasionally run away from me when I wanted to get closer to her. I loved her anyway, her name was Bella. On the other hand, the male was very protective over his female companion, and until I learned he attacked me and my family members several times, while I was working in the garden or while I was walking through the nearby orchard, for no reason or because his duck was too close to us. When he sees me or if I am not careful around him, he often wants to pinch me. We have cats at home, and my duck is not very friendly towards them, neither was she. My worries are, should I get him a companion? Should it be a male or a female? And if I get a female will he attack her before she reaches her sexual maturity? Is it safe to leave a duckling with an adult male? Thank you for your help, time and attention. With kind regards, Snowy
Click to expand...
please do not leave a duckling with him, or one single female. He does need companionship, but 1 drake can easily overbreed and exhaust a female, sometimes causing injury or even death. The correct ratio is 4 or 5 female ducks for every 1 drake. If you were to get one drake, it is likely they will fight, I believe muscovies are known for being a little aggressive? Not certain on that, but I think more drakes would be risky.
If you are able to get a few ducks for him, that would be good, but try and choose a breed that isnt too much smaller, I guess female muscovies? I don't know a whole bunch about this breed, I only keep pekins/aylesburys myself, but definitely more than just one female...
 
Callender Girl said:
I'm sorry that you lost Bella. I don't have any experience with Muscovies, all of my ducks are runners. But, I think your drake would be happier with a companion.

I wouldn't put a duckling alone with him. When I introduce new babies to the flock, I wait until the ducklings are big enough to hold their own with the adults.

Since it's impossible to predict how he will get along with a new companion, I would get two females. That could help reduce the chances that he would mate too much with either one. My runner drakes have been pretty accepting of a new drake, but I'm not sure that's always the case.

Good luck with your boy, and again, I'm truly sorry about Bella.
Click to expand...
Good advice, thank you!
 

Similar threads

M
    • Like
2 males, female died
Replies
1
Views
144
sourland
sourland
GirlsHuntToo
    • Like
Are the temperaments of males and females different?
2
Replies
19
Views
689
KathiQuacks
KathiQuacks
F
    • Sad
Ducks dying
Replies
6
Views
335
Fferwm3
F
D
    • Like
Female duck standing on male duck
2
Replies
10
Views
2K
Moments
M
cueduckv
    • Like
What should I do with a lone duck?
Replies
6
Views
526
Miss Lydia
Miss Lydia

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom