Ok - it's been a week .... Need advice

[Mother of duckies]

Hey there duck family - haven't posted for a minute cuz I lost my sweet Ed last week to a raccoon in broad daylight and was so upset and was focused on spending a fortune on all the reputable gadgets and cameras --- and being overall angry and feeling guilty that I allowed it to happen .... it's been a lot.

However - the loss of one drake - as painful as it is since he was my favorite - made my sex ratios 10000000000 times better. I'm embarrassed to say that but it does. So now I have Ruthie my drake pond rescue who STILL is in lady feathers and 3 Welshies at about 4.5mo and poor Barbe who has lost her man (Ed) and is walking around as traumatized as you can imagine.

Because my Welshie ladies have been too young I've kept them in the front yard and the other 3 (Ruthie/drake, Ed/drake, Barbe/hen) in the backyard. The goal was always to integrate the two mini flocks into one but naturally the sex ratio was never ideal. Now that I only have 1 drake I figured - I've got to be uber vigilant about predators during the day so let's get these two little flocks together.

So now we come to the integration part - Ruthie/drake is absolutely ferocious and relentless in his pursuit at mating (raping) my 3 Welshies the minute he has them in eyesight. He so bull-like I've always intervened because they scream as soon as he charges at them and I had one hen actually climb up my pant leg like a cat when I stepped in between them because she was so terrified.

At one point Peaches actually busted thru the mesh fabric on my screen door into my house trying to get away from him - cuz he was charging.

Now with Barbe (the new grieving widow) he's not that way with at all and never has been. And now that she's all traumatized and walking around like a toddler he seems to be very preoccupied with making sure she's ok.

So there is all the context. I'm fine with them having sexy time - that's not the issue. It's the violence in which he pursues. And we've been spending several hours each night trying to integrate but he just goes into rape mode - viciously - I can't really stomach it. I've been supplementing his treats with melatonin and he's gotten a little better but not much.

Do I basically have to stand by and let this rape sitch happen even tho they are terrified so we can move on or can I keep doing these daily meetups for a few hours every night and eventually he'll just do the normal thing ---- head bob, bill poke, neck feather pull ---- and then they do sexy time and it's over and we all move on?

 

[Mother of duckies]

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss; I can only imagine what you and Barbe are going through.
Now, onto the mating situation. It's hard for me to stomach as well, but duck mating tends to be aggressive and kind of rapey. However, I have had to learn to just let it happen, because if I actually haul my drake off of my girl, not only does he keep his hold on her neck, but then he gets even more aggressive and angry at being interrupted and he'll act out. I have learned that the male ego is fragile regardless of species! I would say as long as your hens are not actually bleeding or limping, probably best to let it happen If you're concerned that he actually is injuring the hens, I would say give him some time in solitary, however that looks in your specific situation. I can pen my drake off if he's misbehaving where he can witness all the fun, but can not participate. Ducks are smart; he'll learn that his behavior is earning him time apart from the flock. Hope this helps!

 

[Saigey]

Hey there duck family - haven't posted for a minute cuz I lost my sweet Ed last week to a raccoon in broad daylight and was so upset and was focused on spending a fortune on all the reputable gadgets and cameras --- and being overall angry and feeling guilty that I allowed it to happen .... it's been a lot.

However - the loss of one drake - as painful as it is since he was my favorite - made my sex ratios 10000000000 times better. I'm embarrassed to say that but it does. So now I have Ruthie my drake pond rescue who STILL is in lady feathers and 3 Welshies at about 4.5mo and poor Barbe who has lost her man (Ed) and is walking around as traumatized as you can imagine.

Because my Welshie ladies have been too young I've kept them in the front yard and the other 3 (Ruthie/drake, Ed/drake, Barbe/hen) in the backyard. The goal was always to integrate the two mini flocks into one but naturally the sex ratio was never ideal. Now that I only have 1 drake I figured - I've got to be uber vigilant about predators during the day so let's get these two little flocks together.

So now we come to the integration part - Ruthie/drake is absolutely ferocious and relentless in his pursuit at mating (raping) my 3 Welshies the minute he has them in eyesight. He so bull-like I've always intervened because they scream as soon as he charges at them and I had one hen actually climb up my pant leg like a cat when I stepped in between them because she was so terrified.

At one point Peaches actually busted thru the mesh fabric on my screen door into my house trying to get away from him - cuz he was charging.

Now with Barbe (the new grieving widow) he's not that way with at all and never has been. And now that she's all traumatized and walking around like a toddler he seems to be very preoccupied with making sure she's ok.

So there is all the context. I'm fine with them having sexy time - that's not the issue. It's the violence in which he pursues. And we've been spending several hours each night trying to integrate but he just goes into rape mode - viciously - I can't really stomach it. I've been supplementing his treats with melatonin and he's gotten a little better but not much.

Do I basically have to stand by and let this rape sitch happen even tho they are terrified so we can move on or can I keep doing these daily meetups for a few hours every night and eventually he'll just do the normal thing ---- head bob, bill poke, neck feather pull ---- and then they do sexy time and it's over and we all move on?

So sorry for your loss!

 

[Saigey]

Hey there duck family - haven't posted for a minute cuz I lost my sweet Ed last week to a raccoon in broad daylight and was so upset and was focused on spending a fortune on all the reputable gadgets and cameras --- and being overall angry and feeling guilty that I allowed it to happen .... it's been a lot.

However - the loss of one drake - as painful as it is since he was my favorite - made my sex ratios 10000000000 times better. I'm embarrassed to say that but it does. So now I have Ruthie my drake pond rescue who STILL is in lady feathers and 3 Welshies at about 4.5mo and poor Barbe who has lost her man (Ed) and is walking around as traumatized as you can imagine.

Because my Welshie ladies have been too young I've kept them in the front yard and the other 3 (Ruthie/drake, Ed/drake, Barbe/hen) in the backyard. The goal was always to integrate the two mini flocks into one but naturally the sex ratio was never ideal. Now that I only have 1 drake I figured - I've got to be uber vigilant about predators during the day so let's get these two little flocks together.

So now we come to the integration part - Ruthie/drake is absolutely ferocious and relentless in his pursuit at mating (raping) my 3 Welshies the minute he has them in eyesight. He so bull-like I've always intervened because they scream as soon as he charges at them and I had one hen actually climb up my pant leg like a cat when I stepped in between them because she was so terrified.

At one point Peaches actually busted thru the mesh fabric on my screen door into my house trying to get away from him - cuz he was charging.

Now with Barbe (the new grieving widow) he's not that way with at all and never has been. And now that she's all traumatized and walking around like a toddler he seems to be very preoccupied with making sure she's ok.

So there is all the context. I'm fine with them having sexy time - that's not the issue. It's the violence in which he pursues. And we've been spending several hours each night trying to integrate but he just goes into rape mode - viciously - I can't really stomach it. I've been supplementing his treats with melatonin and he's gotten a little better but not much.

Do I basically have to stand by and let this rape sitch happen even tho they are terrified so we can move on or can I keep doing these daily meetups for a few hours every night and eventually he'll just do the normal thing ---- head bob, bill poke, neck feather pull ---- and then they do sexy time and it's over and we all move on?

Hey there duck family - haven't posted for a minute cuz I lost my sweet Ed last week to a raccoon in broad daylight and was so upset and was focused on spending a fortune on all the reputable gadgets and cameras --- and being overall angry and feeling guilty that I allowed it to happen .... it's been a lot.

However - the loss of one drake - as painful as it is since he was my favorite - made my sex ratios 10000000000 times better. I'm embarrassed to say that but it does. So now I have Ruthie my drake pond rescue who STILL is in lady feathers and 3 Welshies at about 4.5mo and poor Barbe who has lost her man (Ed) and is walking around as traumatized as you can imagine.

Because my Welshie ladies have been too young I've kept them in the front yard and the other 3 (Ruthie/drake, Ed/drake, Barbe/hen) in the backyard. The goal was always to integrate the two mini flocks into one but naturally the sex ratio was never ideal. Now that I only have 1 drake I figured - I've got to be uber vigilant about predators during the day so let's get these two little flocks together.

So now we come to the integration part - Ruthie/drake is absolutely ferocious and relentless in his pursuit at mating (raping) my 3 Welshies the minute he has them in eyesight. He so bull-like I've always intervened because they scream as soon as he charges at them and I had one hen actually climb up my pant leg like a cat when I stepped in between them because she was so terrified.

At one point Peaches actually busted thru the mesh fabric on my screen door into my house trying to get away from him - cuz he was charging.

Now with Barbe (the new grieving widow) he's not that way with at all and never has been. And now that she's all traumatized and walking around like a toddler he seems to be very preoccupied with making sure she's ok.

So there is all the context. I'm fine with them having sexy time - that's not the issue. It's the violence in which he pursues. And we've been spending several hours each night trying to integrate but he just goes into rape mode - viciously - I can't really stomach it. I've been supplementing his treats with melatonin and he's gotten a little better but not much.

Do I basically have to stand by and let this rape sitch happen even tho they are terrified so we can move on or can I keep doing these daily meetups for a few hours every night and eventually he'll just do the normal thing ---- head bob, bill poke, neck feather pull ---- and then they do sexy time and it's over and we all move on?

There is nothing like losing one of our babies, I'm so sorry!

Does he do this at a specific time or place? Maybe separate him whenever this time of day/place comes around so that he doesn't terrorize the ladies? As rapey as the mating thing looks, the females DO assume the position for the boys. Maybe everyone is just adjusting to the new dynamic?