Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[Luv Ducks]

Thank you. I have passed this onto her
Just sucks when this happens cause they were all so close

I had to separate two drakes from my flock last summer. It was a huge Muscovy and a Mallard that had been raised together. The Muscovy ended up trying to mate the Mallard Drake so I ended up rehoming him. They had plenty of room and lots of water containers and food containers. The poor Mallard Drake would try to hide in the top of a chicken coop at night to stay away from him. He broke his bottom back feathers off climbing on him but luckily he was not hurt. I still have the Mallard Drake and he is 3 now and behaving himself this mating season. My 4 Mafia Call Drakes though are chasing the Hens around and it is so funny when one of them get tired of it and turn around and nip at them. They decide to quit then.

 

[ruthhope]

Thank you. I have passed this onto her
Just sucks when this happens cause they were all so close

Drakes can be a pain at this time of year. But with patience and a dog crate or two, it can be managed: the aggressive behavior will in all likelihood settle down.

I use dog crates in the coop to separate the bullies from the picked on. Depending on personalities and who is doing what to whom, I might have the bullies in the dog crates or the victims. I currently have a long term pekin resident in a dog crate at night. He gets picked on at night when in with the scrum of muscovy. He is fine during the day -- able to cope with the occasional side swipe from a meany muscovy. He is very happy in his crate and toddles on in there on his own. I also have a muscovy who is currently getting into fights with another muscovy, He sleeps in an area partitioned off with a temporary dog pen. He is sometimes the aggressor but the other drake is often the aggressor, too. But the boy in the partition is happy in there and is first in everynight to make sure he get his special berth. The other two boys are fine together, at the moment.

One of my two that are bickering is a rehome who was bullied and ostracized before he came to me. Yet, he is more likely to be the aggressor now. He is a year younger than the other boys, and I am hoping that by next spring he will have mellowed a little.

Last spring I had two other pekin drake rescues that brought in their own special brand of aggression. One needed excluding -- removing to my son's back garden -- for 3-4 months before he decided to settle down. But settle down he did and he came back to me for 6 months before I found a forever home for him and his clutch mate..

My neighbors probably think I am crazy as I am always dashing out into the back yard shouting "leave that little duck alone" or similar when any one of the boys is either picking on the pekin or chasing the muscovy. I don't really need to dash out and intervene as there are no feathers or blood lost; its mainly one running around with all the others in close persuit. There is something about one boy chasing another that causes the other two to join in!! Five minutes later, they will all be sitting cheek by jowl resting in the sun. Drakes have a lot in common with young boys when it comes to squabbling.

 

[Maddcatter]

she's splish splashing

 

[BelovedBirds]

View attachment 3513582
she's splish splashing

She's beautiful

 

[Maddcatter]

She's beautiful

Now she's acting all coy. Lmao

Yesterday she had some blood coming out of her nares. I don't know why. She otherwise looks/acts normal and I can't find any injury or swelling.

.... So she gets house bath time so she can clean out her nares under supervision. I still can't see anything wrong, but at least their clean!

 

[Lor]

Is having to constantly clean a messy duckling brooder considered abuse?
What about they're acting terrified every time you do so, even though it's been happening for 2 weeks? (the nutters).
I wasn't going to name them as most likely wouldn't be able to tell them apart when older (or now for that matter.) But after spending time with them I think Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp would be good names. Clumsy and hilarious.

 

[BelovedBirds]

View attachment 3513583

Now she's acting all coy. Lmao

Yesterday she had some blood coming out of her nares. I don't know why. She otherwise looks/acts normal and I can't find any injury or swelling.

.... So she gets house bath time so she can clean out her nares under supervision. I still can't see anything wrong, but at least their clean!

That's really weird- are you sure it was blood, was it fresh?

 

[BelovedBirds]

Is having to constantly clean a messy duckling brooder considered abuse?
What about they're acting terrified every time you do so, even though it's been happening for 2 weeks? (the nutters).
I wasn't going to name them as most likely wouldn't be able to tell them apart when older (or now for that matter.) But after spending time with them I think Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp would be good names. Clumsy and hilarious.

I love those names!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Is having to constantly clean a messy duckling brooder considered abuse?
What about they're acting terrified every time you do so, even though it's been happening for 2 weeks? (the nutters).
I wasn't going to name them as most likely wouldn't be able to tell them apart when older (or now for that matter.) But after spending time with them I think Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp would be good names. Clumsy and hilarious.

Absolutely it is abuse
Especially when you don’t get fully done and they poo again

 

[Lor]

I love those names!

They should all be females so maybe it's inappropriate to name them after the Three Stooges. Maybe Lucy and Ethel, Laverne and Shirley.