Questions on a Drake

[OLDRanch]

Hi,
I am back with another question. This may turn into a novel so be warned. This story begins with my cousins getting 6 ducklings (1 Runner, 2 Khaki Campbell, 2 Rouen, and 1 Ancona) this past spring they ended up with three drakes (Runner and Campbells) and three hens (Rouen's and Ancona) and have had to separate them. This fall I got 6 ducklings (5 Runners and a Pekin) I lost two of my Runners (predator and broken heart/shock ), so I now sadly only have four. My aunt had offered me their Runner drake even before I got my ducks, and I think I will take him. I am not very worried about sickness because my aunt takes very good care of all her birds and I know she would tell me if they had health issues. We both live in Arizona They live in Camp Verde and we live in east Tucson so from their plot to our house is four hours driving, luckily our grandparents live in Phoenix so we would stop there which is about in the middle so it would be Camp Verde/two hour drive/a stop in Phoenix/two hour drive/our house. So now I will get to the questions: 1) I would only bring him down so it would be very hard to quarantine a single duck, so do I need to quarantine? 2) I have two crates (a really big one and a smaller one) so I would probably bring up my ducks in the big crate so he has buddies to talk to on the way down (he would be in the small crate) is this a good idea? 3) how should I transition him to my girls quickly so he isn't super lonely for too long? 4) my ducks are nine weeks old so they are old and big enough to be with a male right? Thank so much in advance for all the help. Ad Madjoreum Dei Gloriam (all for the greater glory of God).

 

[ruthhope]

I suggestthat you should not stress your ducklings by moving them. A 4 hour journey is not difficult for an adult duck, even without the break. But get a pet carrier for moving the drake. If you can get a pet carrier that opens in the top in addition to the front, it is easiest. However, its possible to put a drake through the front door of a pet carrier. The drake will then sit for the journey and be safer than standing in a crate. I put a puppy pad underneath the duck, but that's only possible with a top door.

Strap the pet carrier down safely to the seat it is placed on. Cover with an old towel or similar. No need for food or water on the journey. An adult drake can go 24 hours in a pet carrier, sitting down as it will sleep most of the journey.

I do not introduce adult drakes with juvenile ducks until the juveniles are 15-16 weeks old. I have heard of some duck keepers introducing drakes when the juveniles are 12-13 weeks. I haven't done that. See what others advise.

I quarantine new ducks for 2 weeks if they come from known healthy circumstances and 4 weeks if not. I think it is important with all the bird flu that is around.

Good luck with your new boy! He should quickly become protective of his new flock and start chattering away to them keeping them in order.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

1) I would only bring him down so it would be very hard to quarantine a single duck, so do I need to quarantine?

It is not that you actually "need" to quarantine a new bird - especially if it appears to be healthy, and if it comes from a flock that has no unhealthy bird...

...Nevertheless, you never know what the new bird may carry, so you would really do good by quarantining it for 1 month at least - as it is recommended.

Besides : a transition period - where your old and new birds can see each others, but not touch each others - is imperative so to be sure to avoid any unnecessary fight in the flock.

2) I have two crates (a really big one and a smaller one) so I would probably bring up my ducks in the big crate so he has buddies to talk to on the way down (he would be in the small crate) is this a good idea?

...I don't think it would be a good idea...?

Your new drake is supposed to be on the road for what... just some hours, right?

If so : he really doesn't need to have company for that...
...especially the company of ducks he doesn't even know : as far he is concerned, ducks that he is not friends with could represent a threat to him.

AND given the fact he will be in a very vulnerable position then - since he will be "imprisonned" in a crate without any mean to get away from danger -, you don't know if other ducks in proximity to him will actually add stress (for him) during the travel or not.
(Not even taking into consideration the unnecessary stress that your current ducks would also feel then...!!)

3) how should I transition him to my girls quickly so he isn't super lonely for too long? 4) my ducks are nine weeks old so they are old and big enough to be with a male right?

You do NOT transition an adult drake to juvenile duck hens.
(How old is the drake you are bringing home?)

Juvenile duck hens are not sexually mature, so their body is not ready to safely mate.

► Meaning that : if an adult drake mate with a duck hen that is not sexually mature, he will hurt her, and probably even end up killing her by raping her to death!
And you don't want that...

During mating season : I would wait for a duck hen to be AT LEAST 4-and-a-half-months-old before putting her with an adult drake.

Out of mating season : I would wait for a duck hen to be AT LEAST 3-and-a-half-months-old before putting her with an adult drake that has already lived through his first mating season...
...and still, even then : I would put them in a same park together ONLY IF this drake already has adult hens to mate with!
(AFTER WHAT : I would, of course, STILL monitor the ducks carefully in case this adult drake's hormones are out of control, and he is rough with the youngest girls...!)

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am going to go against the grain here, Since you know your Aunt takes good care of her ducks and she wouldn't give you an unhealthy one I don't see the need to keep him separated from your girls, set up a space at home where he can see them. That way he won't try and mate them but they can all get to know each other. I like to use the folding dog kennels for keeping mine separated if necessary or since you have a large crate that would work But take out the tray that way at the end of the day once you put them to bed you can pick the crate up and move it away from where he has pooped. The smaller crate for overnight sleeping inside the coop. I've done this with bringing in new ducks and ducklings and it works.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I agree with everyone. I would use the small crate with pine shavings on the bottom, assuming the bottom isn’t wire. Do NOT bring the others.

Personally, like Miss Lydia I would not quarantine for a family member who I trusted. It is a risk though as others have mentioned. I would keep him in the large crate near the girls for several hours before I introduced them. Then, I would stay and supervise the introduction for as long as possible.

I do think you should wait to get him until your girls are a little older. Even just a couple weeks. Khaki drakes can be VERY hormone driven and you would not want him to hurt your girls.

Drakes are wonderful but can also be idiots. If they let you pick which one, choose the gentlest. I hope it all goes well for you!

 

[OLDRanch]

I suggestthat you should not stress your ducklings by moving them. A 4 hour journey is not difficult for an adult duck, even without the break. But get a pet carrier for moving the drake. If you can get a pet carrier that opens in the top in addition to the front, it is easiest. However, its possible to put a drake through the front door of a pet carrier. The drake will then sit for the journey and be safer than standing in a crate. I put a puppy pad underneath the duck, but that's only possible with a top door.

Strap the pet carrier down safely to the seat it is placed on. Cover with an old towel or similar. No need for food or water on the journey. An adult drake can go 24 hours in a pet carrier, sitting down as it will sleep most of the journey.

I do not introduce adult drakes with juvenile ducks until the juveniles are 15-16 weeks old. I have heard of some duck keepers introducing drakes when the juveniles are 12-13 weeks. I haven't done that. See what others advise.

I quarantine new ducks for 2 weeks if they come from known healthy circumstances and 4 weeks if not. I think it is important with all the bird flu that is around.

Good luck with your new boy! He should quickly become protective of his new flock and start chattering away to them keeping them in order.

thank you, the pet carrier, sounds like it would work much better.

Hi.



It is not that you actually "need" to quarantine a new bird - especially if it appears to be healthy, and if it comes from a flock that has no unhealthy bird...

...Nevertheless, you never know what the new bird may carry, so you would really do good by quarantining it for 1 month at least - as it is recommended.

Besides : a transition period - where your old and new birds can see each others, but not touch each others - is imperative so to be sure to avoid any unnecessary fight in the flock.



...I don't think it would be a good idea...?

Your new drake is supposed to be on the road for what... just some hours, right?

If so : he really doesn't need to have company for that...
...especially the company of ducks he doesn't even know : as far he is concerned, ducks that he is not friends with could represent a threat to him.

AND given the fact he will be in a very vulnerable position then - since he will be "imprisonned" in a crate without any mean to get away from danger -, you don't know if other ducks in proximity to him will actually add stress (for him) during the travel or not.
(Not even taking into consideration the unnecessary stress that your current ducks would also feel then...!!)



You do NOT transition an adult drake to juvenile duck hens.
(How old is the drake you are bringing home?)

Juvenile duck hens are not sexually mature, so their body is not ready to safely mate.

► Meaning that : if an adult drake mate with a duck hen that is not sexually mature, he will hurt her, and probably even end up killing her by raping her to death!
And you don't want that...

During mating season : I would wait for a duck hen to be AT LEAST 4-and-a-half-months-old before putting her with an adult drake.

Out of mating season : I would wait for a duck hen to be AT LEAST 3-and-a-half-months-old before putting her with an adult drake that has already lived through his first mating season...
...and still, even then : I would put them in a same park together ONLY IF this drake already has adult hens to mate with!
(AFTER WHAT : I would, of course, STILL monitor the ducks carefully in case this adult drake's hormones are out of control, and he is rough with the youngest girls...!)

Thank you, if I took the drake NOW (It is hard for my cousins to keep three drakes) and just kept him separate from my girls is there any chance of that working?

 

[Papaye]

Thank you, if I took the drake NOW (It is hard for my cousins to keep three drakes) and just kept him separate from my girls is there any chance of that working?

Yes.

You take the drake home, keep him separated from the girls until they are sexually mature - and so, ready to mate with him without being hurt...

You do the "see but don't touch" method, so they can still become friends, even if they don't freerange together... and so the drake doesn't feel alone (and thus, depressed).

It will, thus, be fine...!

...Good luck!

 

[OLDRanch]

I am going to go against the grain here, Since you know your Aunt takes good care of her ducks and she wouldn't give you an unhealthy one I don't see the need to keep him separated from your girls, set up a space at home where he can see them. That way he won't try and mate them but they can all get to know each other. I like to use the folding dog kennels for keeping mine separated if necessary or since you have a large crate that would work But take out the tray that way at the end of the day once you put them to bed you can pick the crate up and move it away from where he has pooped. The smaller crate for overnight sleeping inside the coop. I've done this with bringing in new ducks and ducklings and it works.

I agree with everyone. I would use the small crate with pine shavings on the bottom, assuming the bottom isn’t wire. Do NOT bring the others.

Personally, like Miss Lydia I would not quarantine for a family member who I trusted. It is a risk though as others have mentioned. I would keep him in the large crate near the girls for several hours before I introduced them. Then, I would stay and supervise the introduction for as long as possible.

I do think you should wait to get him until your girls are a little older. Even just a couple weeks. Khaki drakes can be VERY hormone driven and you would not want him to hurt your girls.

Drakes are wonderful but can also be idiots. If they let you pick which one, choose the gentlest. I hope it all goes well for you!

Thank you for the input on quarantining I was worried about keeping him separate without any buddies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please let us know how it all goes. Once your girls and him bond and even while keeping him close but not where he can molest them they will still bond so by the time he is ready and your girls are ready they should be a close knit flock. My girls absolutely fawn over their drake