Please help her out... Who did it? (UPDATE P.2)

[duckboatprincess]

As some of you know, I got a cayuga hen yesterday. Well, my drake was driving her nuts, so I put her in the pen with my more docile pekin hen (who is at the bottom of the totem pole.) I kept everyone separated until last night when everyone got penned. I came out this morning to let everyone out and the pekin, my rouen hen, and the drake all came out. The cayuga was in their box hiding. When I took her out, I found this:

So, do you think the culprit was the drake or the rouen hen? Also, any advice on what I should do for her? She's drinking fine, although I'm not sure about eating. She is penned up with some ducklings right now.

 

[froggie71]

Wow, I haven't had any of our ducks do that to each other. When the older ducks didn't want the newer ducks near them, they snapped at them and chased them away, but not to the point of pulling out feathers and no bleeding involved. We tend to put the older ducks with a seperation from the new ducks with chicken wire inbetween so they can see each other, but not get at each other. (We have had this problem with the guineas and the ducks though). I would make sure you get triple antibiotic without pain reliever on the wounds and make sure flies can't get in there.n (we've used red or blue kote as a protection). If she isn't eating try treats to encourage her. Maybe add some electrolytes or a little sugar to pep her up if she is acting lethargic at all.

 

[monarc23]

No way that was the drake conintuously breeding her htrough the night. Poor girl!!!!! That's his claws raking her back as he tried to mount her probably all night long because she had no where to run.

I hear abotu this a lot. I don't know why my drakes aren't like this but im thankful for it.

 

[duckboatprincess]

Okay... I was assuming that it was the drake. He's a fawn and white runner, so he always has a hard time mounting the "bigger" ladies. Well, he's gotta go then. I can't have him acting like that. He's not like that with the other girls, but they were here first. My other drake got killed by what I believe is a coyote the night before last, so Mork has no one to compete with now.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
awh

yeah that's a hard decision to make but i'd probably remove him too or atleast not let him with the girls until she heals and when shes' healed put him back in and see if he's still being like that to her or not. I'm really no expert with this because ive not had to deal with it. My more dominant drake only seems to mate the hens if they initiate it otherwise he just courts them. I'm sorry about your other boy that's got to be one of the worse things to deal with. It would tear me to peices loosing a duck to a predator, I honestly love them more than my chickens.

 

[FenDruadin]

I haven't tried it yet, but the advice I received for my aggressive drake is to separate him for a few weeks, then put him back in. This is supposed to put him at the bottom of the totem pole, and reduce aggression--he no longer feels like it's *his* flock, so nothing to defend. I would try it before getting rid of the drake if you otherwise like him.

 

[duckboatprincess]

He's always trying to mount my females, but she doesn't have all of her adult feathers in yet I don't think. I put neosporin on there. She's really sweet and I'd hate for him to hurt her again. I've been trying to find him a new home for a while before this happened but it doesn't seem like anyone wants a runner drake.

Thanks. I miss him. He was such a sweet heart. Anyone want a runner drake lol? I don't know what to do with him. He's not really any good for meat, so it seems like a waste to kill him. This is the first new bird since he was new (other than ducklings who are penned away from him). I'm thinking I'll just pen her with the babies at night. There's not much room but it's better than him tearing her apart.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
If i lived closer to you i'd give him a chance here as if it didnt' work out with the flock he'd go in with chickens in the flight pen. Hopefully someone will want him he sounds cute just "bad" LOL!

 

[froggie71]

I haven't done it, but people do use runners for meat. We have 1 runner drake. He likes to mate his girls a lot!!!. But we had 8 girls for him. Funny thing is when 4 went broody. He only wanted to mate with them, but they would have none of it!!!! They left him high and dry. LOL Actually we'll have to see what happens now, because out of the 4 ducklings we kept this year 3 turned out to be drakes. Hoping that isn't going to be too much of a problem.

 

[duckboatprincess]

He is cute! He's really pretty but I can't have him hurting her again. She's just so sweet. She loves when you rub underneath her bill where the soft part is.