Please help!

[CarterCrazy]

On Memorial Day weekend, I got three Pekin ducklings- just hatched that day and the day before. They were not sexed, and we were keeping our fingers crossed that we'd end up with at most, one male, as I've read about the voracious sexual appetite these guys can have.

Well, it turns out we have two males and a female. And they've recently begun ACTING like two males.... they are aggressively mounting her, roughing her up, etc. As I understand, having more ladies in the mix will curb this issue.

My questions:

1. Is that true? Seems odd that they'd be less rough just because there's more ladies.
2. Does it matter what breed of ladies I bring in to the flock?

I'm looking to balance the flock this weekend and have found some folks with ducks, just want to make sure I'm not barking up the wrong tree. Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Adding more hens may solve the problem. Upon occasion drakes develop the 'habit' of gang breeding a hen/hens. They seem to egg one another on (pun not intended). Removing one drake from the flock would probably reduce the activity of the remaining drake. Adding ducks from any of the mallard derived breeds might help. I would not suggest adding Muscovy hens.

 

[CarterCrazy]

Thanks! Any reason why you don't recommend that particular breed to mix with my Pekins?

 

[sourland]

Muscovies are not a mallard derived breed (pekins are). They do not 'speak' the same language, and not all mallard derived drakes will breed Muscovy hens.

 

[CarterCrazy]

Ah, very good. That's cool. Muscovys kind of weird me out, LOL

 

[sourland]

They are actually pretty neat - just different.

 

[CarterCrazy]

LOL the first time I saw some up on a greenway, I thought they had something wrong with them! Hey, one last round of questions-

How can I identify a mallard-derived duck? This lady I'm going to go see doesn't know what breed of ducks she has. Which is a bit odd, but I'm not really being picky here. Not going to show them or breed, just want my poor girl to get a break, but I did find it odd she didn't know what kind of ducks she has.

I now know how to easily identify a muscovy, lol

 

[sourland]

If they are domesticated ducks and non Muscovy, they are mallard derived.

 

[CarterCrazy]

Oh, it's that simple, huh? Nice! Thank you so much! I do intend to learn lots about these guys. I've just been so consumed with learning how to properly house them, feed them, care for them, which has been quite the process! I do love them so......so they are very spoiled little brats.