Surprise! Lisa is a boy. Now what?

[Duck mommy 2019]

chickens are not interchangeable "friends" with ducks. Other animals are okay in a pinch but ducks really need to be with ducks where at all possible. Getting a second drake exacerbates the need for a lot more females and keeping permanently separate flocks and this also doesnt solve the issue of the OP not wanting to separate the two bonded ducks

if they can still see each other they will be perfectly fine

 

[21hens-incharge]

if they can still see each other they will be perfectly fine

One of mine was on the outside of the pen when everyone else went in. She was beating herself up trying to go THROUGH the wire.

Not everyone wants/needs/desires a flock of non producing males. Not everyone wants to or can find a place to adopt unwanted ducks with unknown backgrounds.

I will be supportive of whatever decision the OP makes.

 

[LT71689]

if they can still see each other they will be perfectly fine

the drakes are likely to fight if they can still see the female, they dont have the capacity to understand they're going to remain fenced off and wont ever have an opportunity to mate with her, so they'll fight for her.

The person above me's experience of fenced off birds trying to get beyond the barrier to be together is also not surprising - looking at each other isnt the same as being together. Its not enough.

 

[416bigbore]

Back to the OP, Since Lisa isn't going any where, is he going to receive a new name or grow up with it like a boy named Sue?

https://nameberry.com/babyname/Lisa/boy

 

[Sc Owell Farm]

Back to the OP, Since Lisa isn't going any where, is he going to receive a new name or grow up with it like a boy named Sue?

https://nameberry.com/babyname/Lisa/boy

That is great!!! While we're tempted to continue calling him Lisa, his new name has become Luke. Don't think he'll respond to it by now, but you never know! My gut tells me he'll continue to respond to Lisa

We are definitely keeping him with Louise, they love each other so much, it's heart breaking. Luckily he seems to be a very submissive male ( at least at this young age). He interacts gently with the chickens, in fact I caught him cuddling in a nest box with one and both were perfectly content.

In our flock, at least so far, Louise-the-for-sure-lady-duck, is definitely the one in charge

Thanks to everyone's advice here, she'll be getting some new lady friends before spring!!

We're very fortunate to have an Ancona breeder in our area, who will be thrilled that we're helping to keep up the population haha

 

[TomCahalan]

in fact I caught him cuddling in a nest box with one and both were perfectly content.

You don't see the problem with that? LT71689 already explained it to you, but I guess he wasn't graphic enough. Roosters do not have penises, therefore chicken vaginas haven't evolved to accommodate penises. Drakes have 8 inch, spiked, pneumatic penises. He's going to tear her apart.

 

[416bigbore]

That is great!!! While we're tempted to continue calling him Lisa, his new name has become Luke. Don't think he'll respond to it by now, but you never know! My gut tells me he'll continue to respond to Lisa

We are definitely keeping him with Louise, they love each other so much, it's heart breaking. Luckily he seems to be a very submissive male ( at least at this young age). He interacts gently with the chickens, in fact I caught him cuddling in a nest box with one and both were perfectly content.

In our flock, at least so far, Louise-the-for-sure-lady-duck, is definitely the one in charge

Thanks to everyone's advice here, she'll be getting some new lady friends before spring!!

We're very fortunate to have an Ancona breeder in our area, who will be thrilled that we're helping to keep up the population haha

We have a situation similar with our small flock that we started this last spring when we purchased ten unsexed Rouen/Pekin mix ducklings. We bought them with the intent of rehome a few of them once we new for sure the drake to hen ratio.

Well long story short, once you raise those cute little things and fall in love with them, the rehoming idea goes out the window because we decided to keep them all. LOL We have four drakes and six hens from those ten and two other Mallard hens and four Isa Brown chickens.


I know the ratio is not right but we have been very fortunate everyone has been getting along well together for the most part. I am sure by this next spring that could change when the hormones are in swing and they will need to be separated.

Best of luck and please keep us posted.

 

[Sc Owell Farm]

We have a situation similar with our small flock that we started this last spring when we purchased ten unsexed Rouen/Pekin mix ducklings. We bought them with the intent of rehome a few of them once we new for sure the drake to hen ratio.

Well long story short, once you raise those cute little things and fall in love with them, the rehoming idea goes out the window because we decided to keep them all. LOL We have four drakes and six hens from those ten and two other Mallard hens and four Isa Brown chickens.


I know the ratio is not right but we have been very fortunate everyone has been getting along well together for the most part. I am sure by this next spring that could change when the hormones are in swing and they will need to be separated.

Best of luck and please keep us posted.

Thank you so much for sharing about your flock! You're certainly right, you get attached to them quick!
At this young age, our flock is also getting along well, but we'll be ready before spring!

 

[Sc Owell Farm]

You don't see the problem with that? LT71689 already explained it to you, but I guess he wasn't graphic enough. Roosters do not have penises, therefore chicken vaginas haven't evolved to accommodate penises. Drakes have 8 inch, spiked, pneumatic penises. He's going to tear her apart.

Oh goodness, this description does give me a much clearer idea of the danger.
The ducks will officially be 4 months old at the end of next week. From what I read, and advice of fellow flock owners in our area, we've been told to prepare for separation in early spring, but that they are all ok for now.
Is this bad advice then?
We thought age had a part to play in all this..

 

[416bigbore]

Oh goodness, this description does give me a much clearer idea of the danger.
The ducks will officially be 4 months old at the end of next week. From what I read, and advice of fellow flock owners in our area, we've been told to prepare for separation in early spring, but that they are all ok for now.
Is this bad advice then?
We thought age had a part to play in all this..

You are very correct, for now things are ok, with the real possibility of having issues this next spring when they are older. Available space is another factor that can escalate the situation if they don't have their own personal space.

I keep a close eye on ours and if an issue pops up I am ready to separate to make sure no one is in danger of being hurt.

This is all a part of having a mixed flock, Best of luck and please keep us posted.