Over Amorous Male Runner Duck

[ilovemeducks]

I have three Indian Runners (2 females and a male), 2 female muscovies, a Portuguese duck, a call duck and a Bantam Pekin Rooster. Over the past week or so, the male Runner has become exceptionally 'over amorous' with my white muscovy and my call duck. The chasing is becoming very violent with the muscovy crashing into fences. She has lost a lot of feathers on the back of her neck. She is tending to spend most of her time on the roof of one of the duck houses or standing up on her perch, both of which are out of his reach. I have not seen her use the duck pond in weeks as that is a place where he attacks her too. The call duck is, obviously, tiny and is also spending much of her time trying to escape his advances. Unfortunately she is unable to fly like the muscovy, so getting up on a roof or the perch is not an option for her. He is leaving the other two Runners completely alone. Does anyone have any idea what I can do? Is it possible to curb this behaviour or do I need to go down the road of rehoming? I would appreciate any advice that you can give. Many thanks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Many have drake jail starting this time of year. Give the girls a big break from him. He is going after them because they are not Runner. This is just my view though on why he is being aggressive since I have a Runner drake who when he got sexually active he would chase down my Muscovy females and mate with them finally three of the females stood up to him and he quit . But he never hurt them aggressively if he had of have been he’d have been in drake jail too. @onaharley uses drake jail as well as a few others . @CrystaBub has just set up drake jail or time out pen for her drake. It’s not uncommon.

 

[CrystaBub]

Yep - gotta give those poor girls a break!!! I just put my boy in his 'jail' for the night - the girls are cuddled up next to the side of the cage - it's so cute. I hate doing it to him but my girls seriously need a break.

 

[chickens really]

If you don't need a Drake for breeding reasons I'd get rid of him. Or separate him. It will be a very long stressful season.

 

[Jpat]

Heres me thinking way out of the box

Put a little parachute on him so he cant run very fast

 

[ilovemeducks]

I have tried the 'jail' but it seems worse when he comes out. I am thinking that I will have to find a new home for him. I am not very happy about it but it is just too stressful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When we say drake jail he stays in drake jail. @onaharley

 

[onaharley]

Sorry you are going through this! It's rough on both us and them when the boys don't play nice. My guy has been separated at bedtime for over a year. And every other day he is locked up and on the opposit days he free ranges. It's stressful but we are in a routine