Sickly duck at local produce store...

[nayeli]

Is getting him a female or two out of the question?

 

[veronicasmom]

Wonderful advice Miss Lydia. I think you hit the nail right on the head with needing to be firm now, so he learns to respect you. Muscovy drakes are large birds and if he runs the show, it can get nasty. I have seen people who have treated their animals (foals, dogs, goats) like babies, then are so sorry later and end up dumping them. NO ONE can love their pets more than I do, no human kids, our animals are our family, and yes, they are pampered, but not spoiled. And they are treated like animals. Which is really kinder in the long run. They understand that more than being treated like a person.

Be firm with your boy and he will respect you, which will make both your lives happier.

Maybe a couple of girl friends? At least two of somewhat comparable size.

 

[SampyArctica]

As we're at the council limit with fowl on a residential property, we can't get him any girlfriends until we mpve to acreage - which is another 52 days (but who's counting?). I had been crossing my fingers and toes he would make it until then, but obviously he's not going to. The vet had suggested we could have him de-sexed if we were really worried about it, but that it needed to be done before he hit sexual maturity as afterwards it would have been extremely risky to perform. He said Whistles was almost at that stage though, going by his weight which meant we needed to do it within that week but it was going to be $500+ and we just didn't have the money right then as it is only my partner who has the income. But when we move on acreage, it'll be with my parents (who understand the struggles of student life, thankfully!) and after explaining the situation to them, my Dad has agreed to get three or four girls for him. But it can't come soon enough!

Thanks so much for the advice though! Will ignoring him now help? Like, if I distance myself now that the early signs are showing? I barely looked at him this morning, didn't acknowledge him at all as I got ready to leave. Broke my heart, but if it helps...if it comes down to either him learning his place or me getting attacked, I'll be able to handle him as you said, but might take a chunk out of me emotionally. He's my baby boy...

 

[Miss Lydia]

As we're at the council limit with fowl on a residential property, we can't get him any girlfriends until we mpve to acreage - which is another 52 days (but who's counting?).

I had been crossing my fingers and toes he would make it until then, but obviously he's not going to. The vet had suggested we could have him de-sexed if we were really worried about it, but that it needed to be done before he hit sexual maturity as afterwards it would have been extremely risky to perform. He said Whistles was almost at that stage though, going by his weight which meant we needed to do it within that week but it was going to be $500+ and we just didn't have the money right then as it is only my partner who has the income. But when we move on acreage, it'll be with my parents (who understand the struggles of student life, thankfully!) and after explaining the situation to them, my Dad has agreed to get three or four girls for him. But it can't come soon enough!

Thanks so much for the advice though! Will ignoring him now help? Like, if I distance myself now that the early signs are showing? I barely looked at him this morning, didn't acknowledge him at all as I got ready to leave. Broke my heart, but if it helps...if it comes down to either him learning his place or me getting attacked, I'll be able to handle him as you said, but might take a chunk out of me emotionally.

He's my baby boy...

Sampy it was very hard for me to discipline my drake we had him here from hatch since his mama tried to kill him, so he was very much my baby, you can try ignoring him but to me that would be harder than to discipline right now he isn't attacking you or nipping you hard right so just leave things as they are till he starts. Just don't pick him up if you pet him and he starts nipping you then stop petting him. Just sit with him talk to him but do give him bodily contact. If he becomes aggressive then begin the holding down but once you start you have to be consistent, I just made him lay down belly down and held him behind the neck and down on his lower back, Not aggressively but I didn't let him get up till he stopped squirming and this is just how a dominant drake would do with Whistles to teach him respect and that he is the leader not Whistles. Think of it this way if you had a child you wouldn't want it to be disrespectful of you right? well this is what your teaching Whistles to be respectful of you.

 

[nayeli]

I also wouldn't ignore him, I feel like that is harsher to him than discipline... after all he hasn't done anything wrong yet and ducks are social creatures.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I did the same thing as Miss Lydia when I had drakes about that age. Super simple, just sort of wrap your hands around the body, and hold steady on the ground. Then use one hand to flatten out the neck straight onto the ground, and hold him there for a bit. I'd say up to one minute or so, I guess I think about what I have seen my drakes do to my ducks, and try to sort of recreate that experience for the drake. That way he knows that he is subordinate to me, not the other way around.

And I would only do that (negative reinforcement) in response to aggressive behavior. For positive, appropriate behavior (or conduct ) I would reward with treats!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Fifty two days! You can do it. You are going to love having your own acreage, not just because of Whistles, but because you obviously enjoy that whole connection with the animal and plant world! Hang in there.

 

[SampyArctica]

Oh thank goodness I don't have to ignore him. It was so difficult this morning, he was squeaking at me and not responding was terrible. It's not just me that looks after him though, my partner also does an equal load. Whistles does seem like he prefers me though, sometimes if my partner calls his name or whistles at him, he'll get ignored entirely - but he'll always answer my call. Will my boyfriend also have to worry about being attacked later on? How long roughly did it take for your drakes to get the point and start behaving again?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh thank goodness I don't have to ignore him. It was so difficult this morning, he was squeaking at me and not responding was terrible.

It's not just me that looks after him though, my partner also does an equal load. Whistles does seem like he prefers me though, sometimes if my partner calls his name or whistles at him, he'll get ignored entirely - but he'll always answer my call. Will my boyfriend also have to worry about being attacked later on? How long roughly did it take for your drakes to get the point and start behaving again?

He may go after partner too, my drake did go after my dh and still tries to nip him hard at times. You know It's been quite a while but i'm thinking a couple months of training him to realize I am leader and he'll still revert back to thinking he can bite me hard and get rowdy some but it doesn't last. They know females from males though and I think that' s why they fixate on us more. It's confusing to them when we take the place of what they would have naturally being in a flock where there are drakes and ducks, my other 3 drakes have never acted like this. I think you'll do fine, just take it as it comes and realize it can be fixed. Keep us updated.

 

[SampyArctica]

Okay thanks! I'll definitely let you know how it all progresses. Thanks for the help, everyone!