Out casted Charlie

[new to ducks]

I have what I think is 4 males and 1 female, ordered a run instead of getting the female or males. Any way, I have three black welsh duck and two gold stars hybrid, one of the gold stars are out casting one of the male black welsh and won't let the other go by him, if they do he goes after the one that is being out cast. also the gold star that is doing all this is also a male. I haven't been able to find anything on behaviors that is helping me. I do realize I need to get possibly more female or can they live with one female being a black welsh? and will she pair up with one of the black welsh or will she pair with any of the the male no matter what breed of duck they are?

 

[needlessjunk]

You have a few options for your male to female ratios. Either get rid of the female and keep an all male flock, keep 1 or 2 males and get more females or keep all of them and get even more females. A good starting point is 4ish Ducks per drake. That number can go up though to 6 or more pre drake. Some communities do well with less Ducks but you have to be careful and it depends on your drakes. They will mate with any male.

 

[new to ducks]

thanks , that's kinda what i was thinking, just wanted to find out from someone that knows ducks. Most likely I will get a few more females, but I am not sure how to introduce them, should I make another closure in the pen so they can see each other and interact but not touch and for how long, i have winter coming and I haven't even been able to get them to go into the duck house I built for them, any thoughts to that?

 

[Amiga]

You are right about having a separator fence for a while so they get used to each other. It takes time.

For getting them into a new house, I found that giving treats in the shelter makes it a happy place to be.

 

[new to ducks]

thanks Amiga, I have been using treats, still no success, but I will keep trying

 

[Amiga]

Is the inside painted, is there some kind of aroma in the shelter that may be discouraging them? Is the bedding moldy? Are there mites?

 

[new to ducks]

Hi Amiga, the straw is new and the building is all new, I know my ducks are not used to a ramp, that might be the issue, the shelter I had them on when they were little was on the ground since it was just a large dog kennel top. I am sure if I work with them enough it will be ok. My biggest concern is the on male be out casted and maybe not being let in the the shelter, I am dealing with that with my goats right now also, winter comes fast in Minnesota

 

[Amiga]

Oh, my, winter coming puts all kinds of pressure on an animal steward. Yes it does.

So the ramp - hmmm, very likely indeed. It may simply be too steep for them. Or too narrow. So think of ways to widen it (even wider than the door, then can make a turn at the top, add railings, something. What about the surface of the ramp? I had a very short ramp to the outdoor duck house, and I covered that with plastic poultry fence (tucked the sharp edges and fastened them under the ramp, and sprinkled sawdust on it. Worked great.

 

[new to ducks]

I forgot to say that there is not paint on the inside it is all wood

 

[needlessjunk]

Have you tried treats up the ramp? Put a pile of peas or whatever at the bottom and a trail going up with another pile inside. That's how I got mine to go up the stairs.