Please talk to us about drakes again. Pros? Cons?

[Amiga]

We are a happy flock of nine Runners and two Buffs, two years old, get along fine, very few health problems (occasional bumble foot or hangnail).

But there are drakes out there in need of homes.

But everything is peaceful here now.

And oh, the stories we have heard!

So as we sort this out, we would appreciate drake stories, the good and the bad.

 

[sourland]

There are good drakes just as there are good roosters. In my experience drakes are extremely sex driven and there is the potential for havoc in the flock during the breeding season. Why tempt fate - sounds like you already have a good flock personality, and are you prepared to deal with/cull a potentially unacceptable drake?

 

[Going Quackers]

Yep, good ones and bad ones.. i have one that is great, two that are your typical juveniles that are pesty(not nasty tho) and one i had to get rid of because he was nasty(to people)


I only have drakes because my first 4 ducks were a straight run.. i got a 50/50... one we kept the other was the nasty one, my other two drakes came here as 3-4wks olds in hopes they would be hens... they are not so, one will definitely leave.. one i will try and keep but my hen ratio is low so i may end up only keeping my original drake.

Personally since you have a set-up where everything is peaceful, i don't think i'd rock the boat.. i mean i get your reasoning and so forth but if i had not gotten my drakes through the circumstances that i had, we would choose not to have any.

 

[Tivona]

I got 5 ducklings hatched by a friend. I had 4 of them turn out to be drakes and only 1 a girl. I still have one of the drakes and the female from that batch. Three of the drakes seemed to be fine with normal hormones and I was able to re-home 2 of them and kept 1. The remaining drake was a nightmare. Totally sex crazed. I separated him from all my female ducks and kept him in a run by the other ducks keeping the 2 drakes I re-homed with him for company. He spent all day trying to figure out how to get to the girls and as far as I could tell think of nothing else except food and water as he actually needed them. He did escape a few times when I had to go in and he would run as fast as he could and grab the first duck he could never stopping until I actually picked him off. Always chasing and biting and mating. Even my gander biting him as he was on the girls did nothing to stop him. After a few weeks of this trying to keep him separate and him only getting worse he ended up dinner. Never even a twinge of regret over eating him on my part. I could never have re-homed him as he was much to violent and sex crazed to be safe in any flock.

So there are good drakes and bad drakes. If I was to get an adult drake I would make sure I either know the person I'm getting him from or be able to see the drake with other females.

 

[dukzzz]

i have a mallard drake that is probably the friendliest of all my ducks. He's with two pekins(hens) now and never had a single problem. I couldn't imagine my flock without him.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

My drake is a teenager, not awful, but a real twirp. I think if I weren't on him constantly he would be much worse.
My ladies liked me better before he came along.
He will be moving to a larger farm with more girls & a person who wants less of a social experience with the ducks.

I think it is about what you want.
I loved the idea of breeding a critically endangered duck, but have come to realize I would rather have ducks for eggs. I can save the critically endangered ducks by buying new egg layers from breeders of heritage ducks. I have decided to leave the match making to people who are thicker skinned & don't want critters that act happy to see you. He has full control over his girls. I don't want to fight with a 6 lb DUCK every morning when I fill waterers, or assert my dominance over things. Partof why I don't have a dog. But, that is just me, and something I have had to come to terms with on my own. Not how I envisioned the experience going in.

I am sure there are darling drakes out there, real gentlemen. I just don't think I am cut out for any more men in my life than I have already!

 

[Oregon Blues]

I am going to agree. Don't rock the boat. If your flock is calm and well behaved, don't introduce trouble.

I've had ducks for over 40 years and I've never had any problems with my drakes. But I hear of people who have had issues (usually people who think ducks are pets) and if you adopt an adult drake, it is possible that he is being re-homed because of bad behavior.

One major point: temperament on ducks can vary greatly from one breeder to the next. Ducks from one source will have nice temperaments and the same breed from another source can be nut cases.

 

[veronicasmom]

I have a runner drake with 5 hens. He is a very good boy. Sometimes a brat, but really not bad at all. I don't handle him much, he is a runner and you know how skittish they can be! Sometimes he will "chase" me off when I am near the girls, but the most he has ever done is nip the back of my calf. Which didn't hurt and actually made me laugh, he was trying to be tough. I've had him for 3 years and aside from one spell where he bullied a new hen that I brought in (during mating season), he's been a gentlemen. I have enough girls for him (as do you) so it works out great for us.
You are right, there are a lot of nice drakes that need homes, I say go for it!!!!!!!

 

[lovesgliders]

Geez, I can't believe the stories in this thread. I have two Mallard drakes and behavior-wise, they are just like my hen. Friendly, calm, and have never nipped/threatened me or her.

Guess I lucked out!

 

[Going Quackers]

Geez, I can't believe the stories in this thread. I have two Mallard drakes and behavior-wise, they are just like my hen. Friendly, calm, and have never nipped/threatened me or her.

Guess I lucked out!

My oldest drake is A sweetie but the OP has no drakes and a stable flock.. bringing in any new bird rocks the boat even more-so a drake where the drive to breed will be there, i don't think anyone is being anti-drake just realistic about the if's and could happens.