Single drake behaviors + drake/duck ratio

[Squiggs]

Hello! I've got three ducklings (two which are sexed female and one straight run chocolate ancona) and while I'm certain two of them are female, I can't be 100% that my chocolate ancona is not a drake. I know that the coloration is sex-linked and the odds are in favor of a hen but the breeder I got Moony from had many ducks so it's not a guarantee.

Anyways, I have two questions:

1) If Moony is male would 2 hens (Buff and Blue Swedish) keep them all safe and happy?
2) There are no other drakes around. Do drakes that don't have to "compete" with other males act more relaxed and less hormonal?

The only experiences I have with drakes came from a situation where several lived in a large flock and the boys were total monsters. They would pull out feathers and mate the ducks roughly. Even when they got rid of every drake but one he still remained quite aggressive. Does anyone have experiences with a drake that is calm or can I expect the same behaviors even without competitors?

 

[NoahSully]

My mallard drakes were pretty chill but they didnt have any hens around.. My sisters magpie drakes were more aggressive, though they still loved each other

So I suppose it could be the breed?

 

[Squiggs]

So I suppose it could be the breed?

That's what I'm hoping My ancona is very tame and sweet right now, but that's without hormones...

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

I think it depends upon individual temperament moreso than breeds. My Pekin are the most sexually aggressive. I had only one Pekin drake and he was calmer once his two buddies took a trip to the smoker even though there were 10 other drakes if different breeds in the yard.

So if you have an aggressive one, my opinion is it roots on the others to be aggressive. No matter how many females they have available they’re just going to be aggressive.

 

[chickens really]

If you only have one Drake everything should be okay once breeding season comes. You might need a couple more Hens if he becomes too hormonal and over breeds??

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I think it depends upon individual temperament moreso than breeds. My Pekin are the most sexually aggressive. I had only one Pekin drake and he was calmer once his two buddies took a trip to the smoker even though there were 10 other drakes if different breeds in the yard.

So if you have an aggressive one, my opinion is it roots on the others to be aggressive. No matter how many females they have available they’re just going to be aggressive.

I agree it depends on the bird - The supplier we get our bird food/bedding from has a flock consisting of 20 females mix of Pekings, Cherry Valley's' Runners, Campbells and has three Runner drakes, the drakes mostly ignore the other females and will mate mostly with two in particular, they don't fight with each other but are so aggressive with the two girls and have caused their necks to bleed. A friend of mine has only four ducks - two drakes both Runners crossed with Campbells, two hens both Khaki Campbells - had them for several years, never any problems, they are paired, each stick to their female and never fight never swap partners, they all live together even when they have babies, never any problems - she has given me two females (a daughter from each pair) for my two Runner drakes who haven't yet reached sexual maturity, I'm hoping to get away with having only two pairs but will add more females if needs be. I spoke with a lady on BYC who only has two drakes and one female, again no problems what so ever, no aggression nor fighting at all - yet someone else I spoke with said their Drakes are excessively aggressive with each other and the girls and had to be separated from the duck hens to give the poor girls a break!

 

[Squiggs]

I agree it depends on the bird - The supplier we get our bird food/bedding from has a flock consisting of 20 females mix of Pekings, Cherry Valley's' Runners, Campbells and has three Runner drakes, the drakes mostly ignore the other females and will mate mostly with two in particular, they don't fight with each other but are so aggressive with the two girls and have caused their necks to bleed. A friend of mine has only four ducks - two drakes both Runners crossed with Campbells, two hens both Khaki Campbells - had them for several years, never any problems, they are paired, each stick to their female and never fight never swap partners, they all live together even when they have babies, never any problems - she has given me two females (a daughter from each pair) for my two Runner drakes who haven't yet reached sexual maturity, I'm hoping to get away with having only two pairs but will add more females if needs be. I spoke with a lady on BYC who only has two drakes and one female, again no problems what so ever, no aggression nor fighting at all - yet someone else I spoke with said their Drakes are excessively aggressive with each other and the girls and had to be separated from the duck hens to give the poor girls a break!

Thank you for sharing! It's good to know that they aren't all necessarily aggressive. But, jeez, it sure does sound like there is no real way to tell until breeding season comes around. I really hope that mine treats the others well because I absolutely adore all 3 of them and couldn't stand to get rid of Moony. If I have to I'll get another duck for them but I'd really like to find one as friendly with people as they are.

 

[happy duck]

I have 3 females and 1 male. He is very calm with them, but that is just when I see him. I have realized my girls will come out of the coop(in the morning) with a small limp so I am guessing that if he is "wild" then it is in the coop at night. He also is just over 4 months so he just started mating. Once spring comes tho is when the real story starts.....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Duck mating isn’t calm and easy any way so don’t expect a perfect gentleman. Most drake even the ones that aren’t brutal are pretty rough with their girls. Just the nature of ducks . The girls love em anyway.

 

[Squiggs]

Duck mating isn’t calm and easy any way so don’t expect a perfect gentleman. Most drake even the ones that aren’t brutal are pretty rough with their girls. Just the nature of ducks . The girls love em anyway.

Agreed! I'm not really horrified by the nature of duck mating. I know it's really rough, but I think maybe we can all tend to compare it too much to humanized behaviors sometimes. The ducks I've known had a favorite drake and would constantly beg for his attention and so I knew they were happy despite how things looked. I just don't want a stressed out drake who attacks me/doesn't enjoy my company anymore. Or my girls to be losing their feathers constantly, getting drowned, or bloody from over breeding