kayjay081812
In the Brooder
- Dec 4, 2018
- 4
- 10
- 19
Hello, I'm new to owning ducks. This past May I rescued a wild mallard duckling. The poor thing was lonely, so I ended up getting two khaki campbells to keep her company. I was hoping for rouen ducks, but khakis was the only ducks available when I went. They are fully grown now. I have two females and one male. Things have been great with them getting along until the past few weeks. I notice the drake khaki has started trying to mate with the hen khaki and then chasing the hen mallard away. It's to the point he won't let the mallard in the pond with him and the other hen or sometimes in their duck box with them. He's almost constantly chasing her away or pecking at her. The ducks will be free ranging and if the mallard comes within a certain distance, the drake is after her. I've also observed the hen mallard laying herself out flat on the ground for the drake to mate with her. She also starts chuckling when she is near the drake and sometimes does a side head bob with the chuckling. As soon as her behavior starts with that, the drake always goes after her. Prior to all this the mallard ran the show with the pecking order. Now it seems to be the drake? Is this a brief situation with hormones stirred up? Or is this a pecking order situation? There something I should try to address this? If so... how?