Pekin and Black East Indies?

[akrk93]

For the last few years we have had a Rouen and a Pekin that we got together as chicks. Unfortunately, the Rouen disappeared off a nest that she had created out in the field a couple weeks ago. Our Drake Pekin has been pretty lonely since then. So we decided to add a couple new hens to our flock and put up a fence to keep them from wandering too far. We finally found a bird farm and picked up three hens last night, one of which is a mallard, the other two are black East Indies. The farmer seemed indifferent as to whether it would be okay to have them all together, but when we tried to introduce them last night the Pekin was very aggressive and he's just so much larger than the other ducks, I'm afraid that he's going to hurt them. We separated them immediately. The new ducks are this year's hatch so they are still quite small and from what I've read the East Indies are bantams and not going to get much bigger. I am wondering if I am going to be able to keep them all together in the same pen or whether or not it will be too dangerous to the smaller duck females to have the Pekin attempt to mate them. Any insight is appreciated.

 

[Knighstar679]

Both of those breeds tend on the smaller side. They in theory can be kept together. I know most Black East Indies won’t be more than 2 pounds three at most based on my reading. Both of those breed will eventually be able to fly as well.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! I don't know anything about east indies, but maybe someone like @Pyxis or @WVduckchick will know.

 

[WVduckchick]

I'd be a bit worried about the size difference also, but it could work. It really depends on the drake, and whether he calms down, or remains aggressive. I'm sure he is on a mission to breed them all now, but 'tis the season!'

Since you already have them, I'd give it a try, with a very watchful eye to begin with. Maybe even give the girls a small shelter that they can get into/under/behind, but too small for him to get to them? A place for them to escape from him if necessary.

And as Knighstar mentioned, once they learn to fly, you may lose them if he bothers them too much.

 

[akrk93]

Thank you! @WVduckchick, I do have a small shelter I used when the other ducks were small so I will put that in the pen. I think I'm going to try letting him in this evening and seeing how it goes. This may be a silly question, but if he does react well and stays in the pen, are the other ducks too young to mate? They are about 10 weeks old.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you! @WVduckchick, I do have a small shelter I used when the other ducks were small so I will put that in the pen. I think I'm going to try letting him in this evening and seeing how it goes. This may be a silly question, but if he does react well and stays in the pen, are the other ducks too young to mate? They are about 10 weeks old.

I didn’t even think about their age! I just assumed older girls. At this point, he may just be trying to run the away. Drakes can usually tell when the girls are mature enough. I have a group of youngsters that is one week apart, and my older drake only chases the oldest female from the first group. He hasn’t chased the younger ones in an “amorous” way yet.
So it may work out to your advantage that they aren’t of breeding age yet. If they bond slowly, maybe he won’t be so rough on them when they are matured.

 

[Knighstar679]

I think they are breeding age between 18-26 weeks. I can’t recall if there is a more exact schedule because the information on Black East Indies has been harder to find.

 

[WVduckchick]

I think they are breeding age between 18-26 weeks. I can’t recall if there is a more exact schedule because the information on Black East Indies has been harder to find.

Sounds about right. I think my calls started laying at about 20 weeks, so they probably had been mating prior to that. I can’t remember on my larger breeds.
10 weeks is definitely too young.

 

[akrk93]

Thank you all so much for the help! His pen is separated by a fence and he has been staying close to get a look at them but seems to have calmed down a lot. If I see him attempting to mate tonight I will separate him for another couple months or so and try again when the girls are older.

 

[chickens really]

Well...Id definitely not allow a Pekin to breed Bantam Ducks. He could kill them. A separate pen or rehome home and only have Bantam Ducks.