Overaggressive Drake

[Stacykins]

I know what a drake's job is. It is to make more ducks, and in a very vigorous manner. I get that, they're quite amorous.

I have a little group of Magpie ducks. One drake and his harem of three. Those three adult Magpies are not over bred, losing their neck feathers, etc.

I brought in a bit of new blood to the group, and the two female ducks were hatched in May. They're quite big, just a bit smaller than my adults. However, attempting to integrate them in with the drake results in their neck's being defeathered by the drake and a lot of distress from the little ones. I know he is just attempting to mate (as he grabs them and tries to hop on) but he is a bit more tenacious with the little ones than he is with his mature girls. He even caused a wound on one.

I tried separating the drake and putting all the females together. And it kinda worked. They started bonding and doing everything together. But the drake stopped eating. As soon as I put him back...he divided the house. He didn't care about mating with his older gals, but with the young ones. They attempt to get as far away from his as possible, thus isolating themselves from the other girls.

How the heck do I get this little gaggle to bond and combine? I want one flock of ducks, not two groups of Magpies.

FYI, I didn't just toss the little ones in with the others. I kept them in a crate for a few days with the biguns. As soon as I let them out, wham bam!

 

[Amiga]

Time to take a breath, this one may take a little more time and creativity.

You already know you need to protect the girls (and the drake, but right now he seems at no risk).

Anyway, I would keep the new littles separated by a divider fence for now, let them see each other but not touch. Give treats at the same time, try to make some happy memories together.

You may want to put a couple of the older gals in with the newer ones, or just one of the olders in with the newers - try mixing it up a bit, always supervising.

Eventually, and once the hormones subside a bit, you can probably get back to one flock.

 

[Stacykins]

Well, I haven't really solved the drake issue. But I've just been keeping the drake separate. All the girls have bonded together. In the morning, he gets caught and they're let out to free range, and are finally staying as a group. In the evening, he gets put in a crate in the same pen with food and water. I've not given him a chance to mate with the girls at all.