Rooster Aggression in Mixed Flock

[mascowden]

Hello,
I have a mixed flock of 10 total ducks (6 adults and 4 ducklings) and 7 total chickens (6 hens to one rooster). They free range in our large, fenced in backyard with my dogs and cat.
My rooster is not mean towards anyone except for recently with the ducks. He has been targeting them and grab ahold of their bills and kicks them. It looks absolutely brutal.
The first time it happened we broke it up, picked him up and held him for a bit. As soon as we let him go, he attacked again.
It is not over food or resources. He attacks the ducks when they are just laying there doing nothing.
I unfortunately kinda like the guy. Otherwise, I wouldn't be writing this post. We originally were not going to have a rooster, but we know seeing isn't 100% accurate.
I love when he crows in the morning and he is VERY pretty.
Any ideas on how to curb this behavior? Or, is he doomed for the stock pot?

 

[Debbie292d]

How old is your rooster? If he's around 18 months or younger, he could be still having hormone issues and might be showing aggression for that reason.

Many people keep their ducks and chickens separated as a drake can kill a hen if he tries to mate her. Here, we just have two female ducks, and they free range the same as a few roosters and hens do, with no issues. Our roosters are all two years or older. I've got a couple young ones I'll be releasing from the growout pens so we'll soon see if that changes!

 

[FrostRanger]

I agree, separation is going to be the best solution here. You unfortunately can't make the rooster be nice

 

[mascowden]

Thank you. I figured as much. Unfortunately, we just don't have the room to separate them.
He is a young rooster. He's probably about 7 or so months old now.

 

[SamLockwood]

Roosters are going to be at their worst behavior from about 6 months until 9 to 12 months, especially if there's no adult roosters to curb his behavior.

If you raised them all from ducklings & chicks together his behavior is defintely aberrant and you may either have to separate the flock or get rid of the rooster.

If he's a relatively new arrival and never grew up with any ducks, it may be a combination of his protector instincts kicking in and the ducks look "foreign" to him. It's why when I added roosters to my flock I hatched a few guineas at the same time the chicks arrived so the guienas looked familar to them. The rooster may figure out the ducks aren't a threat, provided none of the drakes are trying to mate with your hens (and if they are, that may be why your rooster doesn't like them).

One thing to try if you haven't yet is puttig up extra feeders and waterers, and having some clutter in their area to break of line-of-sight. Sometimes a lot problems can be mitigated if they can just get out of sight of each other.

 

[FrostRanger]

Roosters are going to be at their worst behavior from about 6 months until 9 to 12 months, especially if there's no adult roosters to curb his behavior.

If you raised them all from ducklings & chicks together his behavior is defintely aberrant and you may either have to separate the flock or get rid of the rooster.

If he's a relatively new arrival and never grew up with any ducks, it may be a combination of his protector instincts kicking in and the ducks look "foreign" to him. It's why when I added roosters to my flock I hatched a few guineas at the same time the chicks arrived so the guienas looked familar to them. The rooster may figure out the ducks aren't a threat, provided none of the drakes are trying to mate with your hens (and if they are, that may be why your rooster doesn't like them).

One thing to try if you haven't yet is puttig up extra feeders and waterers, and having some clutter in their area to break of line-of-sight. Sometimes a lot problems can be mitigated if they can just get out of sight of each other.

Also important to note if the drakes are trying to mate your chicken hens they need to be separated immediately 'cause a drake can very easily kill a chicken hen if he tries to mate with her, that's a big reason why it's not usually recommended to keep ducks and chickens together especially drakes