Overly amorous drakes

[DaisyMeadow]

Hi there!

I have a growing waterfowl flock and we pretty much let everybody out in the morning and put everybody in at night. That means the creek and pond are a free-for-all.

I have 4 adult muscovies (2 hens currently on nests and 2 drakes roaming around), and 3 Welsh Harlequin adults (1 drake, 2 hens). I also have 5 geese and about 35 young ducks that are about 2-3 months old.

All three adult drakes have been chasing and *ahem* molesting the young geese, and trying to get to the young ducks. Is there a way to prevent or at least reduce this behavior?

I'm assuming the muscovies will go back to their hens just as soon as they're done sitting, but the WH drake has no excuse to stray from his two hens that are always with him.

Would a duck decoy be at all helpful? Thanks!

 

[Going Quackers]

Pretty typical, you have a lot of drakes that never goes well. I have 2 mature ones right now and 3 that are only pushing 10wks by the end of the week.

I have 8 mature ducks and 1 juvie ... do you know what all the young are? i'd start separating them down, the males will compete with each other over the females available, they also don't care what is their duck or not, usually it's recommended 2-3 ducks per drake minimum.

 

[Carcajou]

I have one drake and five ducks and sometimes I think that is 1 drake too many!