Should I get another duck for my drake?

[Snjezana]

Hello! I would like to ask you for an advice and I hope that you will be able to reach me. So, here is the story. Three years ago I got two Muscovy duck from my neighbor, a male and a female, and I kept them as pets. Last Monday my female duck died. I am still in the shock and very sad. So, for the last of couple of days I make my male duck a company, in my free time, because I don't want him to be sad or lonely. And my question to you is what do you advise me to do? Should I get another duck? Should I get a duckling or an adult? There is also a background story about their relationship. She was very dominant duck, and sometimes aggressive towards him in a way that she would hurt him, when I was not present to intervene. When I wanted to give them a treat, she would want to eat it all by herself chasing the male away, the same thing was with their swimming pool. I even had to separate them in their house, with the transparent net, just to keep him safe, because, there were occasion when the female duck attacked the male duck. She did not behave like that all the time, but she had her period of time. She was very shy too, so she would occasionally run away from me when I wanted to get closer to her. I loved her anyway, her name was Bella. On the other hand, the male was very protective over his female companion, and until I learned he attacked me and my family members several times, while working in the garden or while walking through the nearby orchard, for no reason or because his duck was too close to us. When he sees me or if I am not careful around him, he often wants to pinch me very hard. We have cats at home, and my duck is not very friendly towards them, neither was she. My worries are, should I get him a companion? Should it be a male or a female? And if I get a female will he attack her before she reaches her sexual maturity? Is it safe to leave a duckling with an adult male? Thank you for your help, time and attention. With kind regards, Snowy

 

[fatty and friends]

get another adult male, he will be less territorial if he has a drake friend and no girls to protect

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Muscovies can be very territorial especially drakes. I just had to separate 2 of my drakes that are already separated from the main flock due to some aggression that's caused some minor injuries. But, its worrisome enough because the non-dominant male was hiding. It must have just happened before the evening chores, because before that I didn't see anything on the camera. They have grown up together and fight (or wrestle), but usually nothing serious happens. So, I'm not sure what transpired to cause this.
I also have a dominant female. She nips and pulls feathers of other ducks (and chickens) that get too close to her. My main male is not dominant, but he likes to pinch me given the chance. It's not aggression, but more like "pay attention to me".
Yours might have learned to be aggressive from the dominant female as my 2 main muscovies stick together and sometimes harrass the others together.
With muscovies, I'm going to suggest getting an adult female (or 2) or rehoming your male. Unless he is near other birds like chickens - not kept in the same enclosure of course, but separated so that he cannot mate. It would at least give him a flock to hang with. My ducks and chickens will sit together on each side of the fence that separates them.
Even though some drake flocks work, not all do. I also remind myself that muscovies are a 10-12 yr commitment, so just remember that if it doesn't work out with the new bird or birds, what is your plan then?

 

[Quatie]

Muscovy life span is 10-12 years in the wild, but up to 20 years in captivity (aka a pet). If you have a young male, another female would be a good idea. Even 2 more if possible in case something happens to one duck, then you won't be right back in this position again.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Muscovy life span is 10-12 years in the wild, but up to 20 years in captivity (aka a pet). If you have a young male, another female would be a good idea. Even 2 more if possible in case something happens to one duck, then you won't be right back in this position again.

I almost said 20 years, but then I remembered reading 10-12 so I thought I should scale it back.

 

[Quatie]

I almost said 20 years, but then I remembered ready 10-12 so I thought I should scale it back.

I want to say Miss Lydia has one that is 18 years old. Sometimes it is crazy to think I could have mine waddling around so many years from now .

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I want to say Miss Lydia has one that is 18 years old. Sometimes it is crazy to think I could have mine waddling around so many years from now .

That's like having a kid!

 

[Snjezana]

Muscovies can be very territorial especially drakes. I just had to separate 2 of my drakes that are already separated from the main flock due to some aggression that's caused some minor injuries. But, its worrisome enough because the non-dominant male was hiding. It must have just happened before the evening chores, because before that I didn't see anything on the camera. They have grown up together and fight (or wrestle), but usually nothing serious happens. So, I'm not sure what transpired to cause this.
I also have a dominant female. She nips and pulls feathers of other ducks (and chickens) that get too close to her. My main male is not dominant, but he likes to pinch me given the chance. It's not aggression, but more like "pay attention to me".
Yours might have learned to be aggressive from the dominant female as my 2 main muscovies stick together and sometimes harrass the others together.
With muscovies, I'm going to suggest getting an adult female (or 2) or rehoming your male. Unless he is near other birds like chickens - not kept in the same enclosure of course, but separated so that he cannot mate. It would at least give him a flock to hang with. My ducks and chickens will sit together on each side of the fence that separates them.
Even though some drake flocks work, not all do. I also remind myself that muscovies are a 10-12 yr commitment, so just remember that if it doesn't work out with the new bird or birds, what is your plan then?

Thank you for your reply. What do you suggest, if I get one or two females (since their house in not very big), should I keep them/her separated with the net/fence from the drake? Because my female duck would fight with male, she would climb on his back and kick him with her beak his legs and his face, but not always.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Thank you for your reply. What do you suggest, if I get one or two females (since their house in not very big), should I keep them/her separated with the net/fence from the drake? Because my female duck would fight with male, she would climb on his back and kick him with her beak his legs and his face, but not always.

That was your other female, it should be different with a new female. I would go with 2 females. Will they have a run area or free range in your yard?

 

[Snjezana]

That was your other female, it should be different with a new female. I would go with 2 females. Will they have a run area or free range in your yard?

Yes, we have a duck run area (which my ducks/drake didn't/doesn't like) and a free range.
I am going repost something from my previous thread:

There is also one thing that I would like to mention. Bella and William are my first ducks, and when we got them, we/ I didn't know anything about raising ducks and their training. In the beginning, all that mattered to me was to keep them safe, warm, and alive (we bought a house 100 meters from forest). We only had two of them back then and, ducklings followed us everywhere, what later became their habit. One of their habits was (and still is to the drake) besides spending time in orchard and sometimes in the garden eating vegetables- was siting on the terrace, where we sit, in front of the house doors especially during cold days, when they are alone outside. It was part of the Bella's morning routine to prune on the terrace. Last spring we built them a duck run area to keep them safe when they are outside alone, but didn't like to spend time there. They couldn't last in there for more than two hours a day, and they would usually got upset when they would see us walking or working outside. We made them a duck run area out of woods and transparent net and it is pretty spacious. Lately, I didn't try to leave my drake alone in it, so during the daytime he is sitting in front my house doors/terrace, until I take him for a walk, every afternoon. That is his "free range area", he can wander around the yard, through the orchard and garden, but during cold weather, he chooses to sit on the terrace. My worries are, when I get him a new companion, where should I keep her and how to train her to not to be on the terrace all the time? What if she follows him and copies his habits?
Thanks a lot

Sorry, English is not my mother tongue, so I am learning these expressions along the way.