Need some advice on adding ducks/drakes

[BickeringToast]

I currently have 3 drakes just over a year old. They get along pretty well (except when in the pool/pond where every molester is also a moles-tee). If I dare to separate the current bully all three carry-on like I'm making Duck l'orange right in front of them.

So I am thinking of adding some Drakes or Lovely Ducks. I want at least 2 more, but could add many more. But which do I add?

Our layout is: 1 very secure pen-20x20 (they are in this at dark and out once the sun is up.) Within that pen are 2 even more secure duck houses (could add more) which are 5x5 each (they are only in these if it is Georgia Apocalypse weather and the feathered felons have ice on their heads and I want to warm them up). Their daytime yard was just expanded and is now 25x55. We may expand even more eventually.

So what do you think? A few more Drakes and stay with the all drake flock? Or 9 or so females? I am sooooo torn. Any thoughts and/or advice is WELCOME!

 

[Learningstill]

I would add 6+ ducks and 0 drakes. Drakes will mate with another drake to show dominance, but they will harass other drakes if they do not have access to ducks. If you add ducks, you will get eggs which are great and cancer fighting. You will still have spells of aggressive mating either way.

What breed of drakes do you have?

 

[Sfraker]

I say go all drake. You won't have to deal with over mating or egg bound females. Plus there are tons of drakes looking for homes. Everyone wants more girls. The local waterfowl rescue here currently had 200 Pekins. Only 10 are females.

 

[BickeringToast]

Well the boys have never had access to ducks and seem pretty dependent on each other. That is NOT to say there isn't bouts of non-consensual drake-on-drake action! They mostly work it out without any intervention.

I have: Mose-Cayuga, Niles-Khaki Campbell, and Daphne-Welsch Harlequin (I thought he was a she when naming them)

 

[Sfraker]

Oh! I would love to see pics of Daphne! That is my fav breed.

 

[BickeringToast]

I've been looking into rescue ducks/drapes. I think the nearest is in NC and that is still quite a trek for me.

I'm leaning towards an all drake flock for 2 reasons 1. Females lead to many ducklings which eventually leads to MANY ducks. 2. I would never eat a duck egg....I have some weird mental hang:-up about duck eggs.

 

[BickeringToast]

I'm not sure how well that pic came out....I'm using my kindle

 

[Learningstill]

I've been looking into rescue ducks/drapes. I think the nearest is in NC and that is still quite a trek for me.

I'm leaning towards an all drake flock for 2 reasons 1. Females lead to many ducklings which eventually leads to MANY ducks. 2. I would never eat a duck egg....I have some weird mental hang:-up about duck eggs.

We felt weird about eating the duck eggs too, but that faded and now all we eat are duck eggs. Also, if eggs are collected you will never have any hatchlings. Babies only form inside an egg if it has been incubated. There are no babies in an egg even if it sits outside in an unattended nest. They only way is if a duck sits on an egg for days on end. We have had ducks for over three years now and the only time we had ducklings was when we intentionally left eggs in a nest and the momma went broody.

However, if you are not interested in the egg perk then do the all drake flock. Personally, I hate the thought of my drakes being emasculated by another drake.

We have never had egg bound problems, but we have had prolapse problems (which is a drakes phallus being stuck outside it's body).

 

[claytonjoyner15]

would go with all drake since you dont want eggs.

 

[Sfraker]

I am 30 minutes from the rescue in Indian Trail NC. If you need help transporting some rescues I can help out.

He is beautiful!

I have four welsh females, for eggs. (It is taking me a bit to get used to the idea of duck eggs). And we recently adopted a Pekin male. I don't plan on hatching any eggs. 5 is all we have room for.