Separating a drake and a duck.

[GrandpaChainz]

So here's the long and short of it. I incubated some duck eggs last year and got 3 to hatch. One died along the way and that left me with a drake and a duck. One day a few weeks back, the drake, who was shy and sweet, did a total 180 and is now an ankle-nibbling monster.

We don't really mind the ankle nibbling but we live in town. We're afraid if he got out he'd go after one of the neighborhood grandmas and I'd be at the center of a real clustermess.

So we're considering rehoming him, but we're uncertain about how the duck will react. She wouldn't be alone, she has some chickens to pal around with, and I've got two more ducklings about to come of age and join her outside. But if I rehomed the drake, would she go ballistic?

 

[PirateGirl]

She might! I'm working on introducing and integrating two ducklings and have to separate my mature drake during this process because he is not playing nice. When I pull the drake out the adult females start running around honking. They calm down some eventually, but you'd think they were under a coyote attack or something by the way they react when I remove their drake. Try separating them at home where they can't even see each other and see how she acts.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Have you tried to thwart his ankle attacks? You can give him a pinch on the side of the neck or the bill like another duck would. Is there a certain time when he is nibbling at your ankles - maybe when you are handing out treats?

 

[chickens really]

It's breeding season and possibly he is protecting his Hen from you. He sees you as being lower than himself.
Chase him off if he comes at you..Pin him flat to the ground and then chase him off. He will learn to not mess with people.