Raging mallard drake

[Lila123]

My faithful little drake is an a-hole. He’s a wild Mallard (not protected in my country) that I raised after finding him as a day old baby in a busy road September 2023.
He’s not mean to me but he persecutes one of my geese mercilessly. Maybe she’s a gander? He was hand raised alongside my two geese and gets creepy with the other one so maybe that’s a girl.
He’s becoming insufferable and today I had to leave my desk (wfh) to rescue my goose. He quite literally shakes with rage half the time and it’s not even mating season yet!
What can I do?
If he was attacking me it would be easier to deal with. I love him so killing or getting rid of him is out. I got two runner hens recently hoping he’d refocus his attention. The irony is that the goose he’s bullying is four times his size, she is just doesn’t realise it.

Any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh these boys and raging hormones. I have a Muscovy female about 5 lbs that bullies my female goose. Thankfully Missy can stay out of her way but it's quite funny to see a small ducks chasing a goose. About all you can do is separate the bully or the geese so the drake can't get to the goose and don't put your Runners in with him unless they are at least 5 months old.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

Well if he isn't the cutest and most innocent looking fella I have seen. They are usually the a-holes aren't they.

I am following the conversation- I have the opposite issue. I have a goose running the show at my place. Herds around 9 ducks like they are his/her b$tches.

It is frustrating for sure.

Renee

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well if he isn't the cutest and most innocent looking fella I have seen. They are usually the a-holes aren't they.

I am following the conversation- I have the opposite issue. I have a goose running the show at my place. Herds around 9 ducks like they are his/her b$tches.

It is frustrating for sure.

Renee

Now my goose is definitely large and in charge of everyone else but this little Muscovy Joy. What's funny is another of my Muscovy females will chase Joy then Joy turns around and chases the goose. It's a 3 ring circus.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

Now my goose is definitely large and in charge of everyone else but this little Muscovy Joy. What's funny is another of my Muscovy females will chase Joy then Joy turns around and chases the goose. It's a 3 ring circus.

Is just chasing and herding or do they nip and bite too?

My Goose Eddie will nip at the ducks if they don't move fast enough or don't do what the Eddie wants. But I don't think Eddie even knows what's going on either.

I think I am going to look into goose toys or something for them to do other than worrying about what the ducks are doing.

It is like herding feral toddlers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My goose Missy does a lot of hollering at them like a mama that’s at her wits end and can’t take it anymore. She only has to nip at them to get them to move. When her mate was alive she never even acted like the ducks were here but now she’s like Mother goose.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

My goose Missy does a lot of hollering at them like a mama that’s at her wits end and can’t take it anymore. She only has to nip at them to get them to move. When her mate was alive she never even acted like the ducks were here but now she’s like Mother goose.

Perhaps I am not looking at my situation correctly. Maybe that is what Eddie is doing. Being "motherly" with the ducks. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......But everyone is around the same age, born around April 6.

Interesting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Missy is 12 yrs old so she really is a Mother goose. lol I think geese just naturally take on the role of being in charge maybe it's their size but I think it is more just their natural personality. I know Missy really doesn't like it when the drakes are mating a duck and her and Sam didn't like it when the Rooster was mating one of his hens. They would put up a fuss and make the boys stop by just getting close and hollering at them. lol The only time I had a problem with my geese was when I had 4 they would gang up on a duck or a chicken so I ended up having to rehome my 2 young ones and kept my older ones.

 

[Lila123]

Oh these boys and raging hormones. I have a Muscovy female about 5 lbs that bullies my female goose. Thankfully Missy can stay out of her way but it's quite funny to see a small ducks chasing a goose. About all you can do is separate the bully or the geese so the drake can't get to the goose and don't put your Runners in with him unless they are at least 5 months old.

The runners are a year and 2-3 years.
I don’t suppose my drake will ever chill out a bit. You know since he’s a wild mallard with a set breeding period unlike domestic ducks? Or will he just get worse come spring and stay that way

 

[Miss Lydia]

He'll most likely chill out as summer wanes and as he get older say 3 yrs and up he may calm down those hormones are so over the top when they are young. I have a almost year old Runner drake who is over the top right now its a good thing I have 17 females for him and his dad to share.
Wild ducks do have a breeding season similar to Muscovy they mate come spring and the female lays her clutch then she broods and mating season is done. I bet while she is brooding the boys are off frolicking with some female in another bo0dy of water. His plumage will change and I beleive that is the signal breeding season is over? I am not that familar with the Mallard in the wild. We'll have to look that one up.
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