Separating drake/mating questions-Pekin

[onaharley]

Hi there!

Before I start I just want to say that A.) this spring was the 1st time raising ducks and B). I know that my current ratio of 1:1 is not good! I am trying to find 2 more hens but would like to wait until spring to get 2 ducklings.

I have been doing a lot of reading on here trying to figure out how to separate my Pekin drake from my hen. She started to lay eggs a couple weeks ago and the mating is between them has been about 5-6 times a day from what i have seen. mind you have to work during the day and i am gone for 10 hours a day. Her neck and back feathers are staying to show signs of maybe over mating (there is NO blood or scabs of that nature, but i can tell that her neck feathers are much shorter).....Lately he has become more - i can't say more aggressive but maybe he has finally figured it out and this is what mating is suppose to look like. He does grab at her to get into the pool sometimes and i somethings have go up to them because to me it looks like he is going to drown her. So i think it's time to separate them. I have read that they have to be separated until breeding season is over, but really when is that? Fall, right? well here in Michigan we are going into late fall.....and she just started to lay eggs so i can only assume that breeding season is going to go on into winter, right?

My current run is 10x10 foot. I have a duck house within the pen that is 2x4 sq feet. She is currently made a nest in the duck house. I wanted to block off a part of the pen to keep the drake in but my husband says that is not enough room to keep him locked up for the day. So right now i am keeping one outside the pen and one locked up in the pen but locked together at night. This seems to be bring on more stress to both of them, and it doesn't seem like it's not really going to work.... separated during the day without him getting no action but locked up at night together when i can't intervene and he can have his way with her.....all night long.

So I am asking how do you guys separate your ducks? What is your lay out? how has this worked for you?......i need suggestions, ideas, and tricks that have worked for you. And for how long do you keep them separated? i mean is this separating thing gonna have to last forever????

Seriously confused,
onaharley

 

[Abriana]

I can’t offer advice on the separation issue. But get more females as soon as you can and then you can add the drake back.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

Hello,
Yes, you really need to seperate them or get girls. When I need to seperate for quarantine, breeding, brooding, etc. I usually have a seperate pen. One of my pens is simply a metal puppy playpen, (a baby pen could work to) a plastic doghouse, a milk carton feeder, and a normal waterer. My drakes usually are done for the breeding season in fall. However, when they have just matured, they kind of ignore breeding season. Like ducks that just started laying, the lay even though it's january. So honestly I don't know when he will stop. He might stop after awhile or he might go on for awhile. Hope that helps.
-Catherine

 

[CarleeAnn]

Is there a way to separate them at night too? And maybe when they’re separated add a mirror for company? Can they still see each other through the pen fence? If so, maybe it would be best to stop “teasing” them and make sure each other is completely separate- out of sight out of mind! If they can’t see each other, maybe it would make them less stressed if they could... Do both have access to a pond when separate or just one? It might be “satisfying” to only let them together in the pond and keep them in separate pens days and night. Just some options!

These are only suggestions and ideas, I have no experience with this.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

Is there a way to separate them at night too? And maybe when they’re separated add a mirror for company? Can they still see each other through the pen fence? If so, maybe it would be best to stop “teasing” them and make sure each other is completely separate- out of sight out of mind! If they can’t see each other, maybe it would make them less stressed if they could... Do both have access to a pond when separate or just one? It might be “satisfying” to only let them together in the pond and keep them in separate pens days and night. Just some options!

These are only suggestions and ideas, I have no experience with this.

I'm not sure if seperating from sight will as you said help them forget about each other. They might just..... QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK! all... day....long.......

 

[onaharley]

Is there a way to separate them at night too? And maybe when they’re separated add a mirror for company? Can they still see each other through the pen fence? If so, maybe it would be best to stop “teasing” them and make sure each other is completely separate- out of sight out of mind! If they can’t see each other, maybe it would make them less stressed if they could... Do both have access to a pond when separate or just one? It might be “satisfying” to only let them together in the pond and keep them in separate pens days and night. Just some options!

These are only suggestions and ideas, I have no experience with this.

I currently only have one pen and when they are separate they can see each other. I do have mirror. The only one that has the pool is the one I pick for the day that stays outside of the pen. I thought that they don't do well if they feel like they are along like they will get depressed or something....

 

[CarleeAnn]

I'm not sure if seperating from sight will as you said help them forget about each other. They might just..... QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK! all... day....long.......

True.... Maybe if separated from sight but with a mirror?

I don’t know though... just a thought!

 

[onaharley]

Hello,
Yes, you really need to seperate them or get girls. When I need to seperate for quarantine, breeding, brooding, etc. I usually have a seperate pen. One of my pens is simply a metal puppy playpen, (a baby pen could work to) a plastic doghouse, a milk carton feeder, and a normal waterer. My drakes usually are done for the breeding season in fall. However, when they have just matured, they kind of ignore breeding season. Like ducks that just started laying, the lay even though it's january. So honestly I don't know when he will stop. He might stop after awhile or he might go on for awhile. Hope that helps.
-Catherine

Thank you. I thought that making a separate division within the would solve this problem but the DH seems to think no. But from your suggestions I know that he would have a lot more room within the pen then a dog house....plus he would be out of the weather and clean up would be easier on me.... as per usual I might have to ignore the DH on this one the tip on breeding is really helpful!!! I had a feeling that's what was going to happen.

 

[chickens really]

Hi there!

Before I start I just want to say that A.) this spring was the 1st time raising ducks and B). I know that my current ratio of 1:1 is not good! I am trying to find 2 more hens but would like to wait until spring to get 2 ducklings.

I have been doing a lot of reading on here trying to figure out how to separate my Pekin drake from my hen. She started to lay eggs a couple weeks ago and the mating is between them has been about 5-6 times a day from what i have seen. mind you have to work during the day and i am gone for 10 hours a day. Her neck and back feathers are staying to show signs of maybe over mating (there is NO blood or scabs of that nature, but i can tell that her neck feathers are much shorter).....Lately he has become more - i can't say more aggressive but maybe he has finally figured it out and this is what mating is suppose to look like. He does grab at her to get into the pool sometimes and i somethings have go up to them because to me it looks like he is going to drown her. So i think it's time to separate them. I have read that they have to be separated until breeding season is over, but really when is that? Fall, right? well here in Michigan we are going into late fall.....and she just started to lay eggs so i can only assume that breeding season is going to go on into winter, right?

My current run is 10x10 foot. I have a duck house within the pen that is 2x4 sq feet. She is currently made a nest in the duck house. I wanted to block off a part of the pen to keep the drake in but my husband says that is not enough room to keep him locked up for the day. So right now i am keeping one outside the pen and one locked up in the pen but locked together at night. This seems to be bring on more stress to both of them, and it doesn't seem like it's not really going to work.... separated during the day without him getting no action but locked up at night together when i can't intervene and he can have his way with her.....all night long.

So I am asking how do you guys separate your ducks? What is your lay out? how has this worked for you?......i need suggestions, ideas, and tricks that have worked for you. And for how long do you keep them separated? i mean is this separating thing gonna have to last forever????

Seriously confused,
onaharley

Wow ....Your dealing with a common problem that no one seems to address......

 

[onaharley]

Wow ....Your dealing with a common problem that no one seems to address......

Yeah, kinda thought I would get more of a response, but it is a holiday here in the US... Thanksgiving Day.
Trial and error starts this weekend

I'm thinking that if I divid my pen in half, put in another door and make another but smaller duck house, I should be good.smh idk