The Duck Thread

[Ren2014]

This has surprised the heck out of me. When we got Howard about 10 days ago he was just starting to learn his business and the female ducks would push him off. He got his drake feather a week before we got them. Cam drakes really mature this fast?
Also, he was the Only drake here, why would he force mate ducks if no compition and he had 2 ducks inviting him to mount the,?

I would say yes, but I can't wait to read replies from others. I'm seeing the force mating by all of our drakes with some girls when other girls are inviting them. We have a black swedish duck that the drakes ignore and she is just begging them. I just don't get it

 

[Ren2014]

This has surprised the heck out of me. When we got Howard about 10 days ago he was just starting to learn his business and the female ducks would push him off. He got his drake feather a week before we got them. Cam drakes really mature this fast?
Also, he was the Only drake here, why would he force mate ducks if no compition and he had 2 ducks inviting him to mount the,?

I just found the below at http://www.webvet.com/main/2009/01/09/duck-mating-sex-lives-ducks

Rape is not typically something you associate with those darling “duckies” who bob along the surface of the water to the delight of children and adults at the local pond. It’s a shock to discover that male ducks are the rapists of the bird world. Often, a gang of three or four of them attacks a female duck, sometimes resulting in her injury or death. While ducks are not the only species in the Animal Kingdom to display aggressive sexual behavior, they are the most aggressive of bird species.
What could possibly be the reason for such behavior?
Consenting adults

Female ducks are just as interested as the next species in selecting a particularly outstanding partner for fathering their offspring. However, when a female makes her choice and ducks pair up, one or several males get left out of the mating opportunity. Since male ducks don’t share in the raising of their young, their programming doesn’t include protecting the mother of their children -- they only stick around until the eggs are laid. Their real interest is in copulating with as many females as they can get their feathers on. Competition in the insemination war is ferocious and if you’re not partnered up, any female is fair game.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just found the below at http://www.webvet.com/main/2009/01/09/duck-mating-sex-lives-ducks

Rape is not typically something you associate with those darling “duckies” who bob along the surface of the water to the delight of children and adults at the local pond. It’s a shock to discover that male ducks are the rapists of the bird world. Often, a gang of three or four of them attacks a female duck, sometimes resulting in her injury or death. While ducks are not the only species in the Animal Kingdom to display aggressive sexual behavior, they are the most aggressive of bird species.
What could possibly be the reason for such behavior?
Consenting adults

Female ducks are just as interested as the next species in selecting a particularly outstanding partner for fathering their offspring. However, when a female makes her choice and ducks pair up, one or several males get left out of the mating opportunity. Since male ducks don’t share in the raising of their young, their programming doesn’t include protecting the mother of their children -- they only stick around until the eggs are laid. Their real interest is in copulating with as many females as they can get their feathers on. Competition in the insemination war is ferocious and if you’re not partnered up, any female is fair game.

It's brutal out there.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Does anyone have just hens, no drakes? I know it's just nature and y'all are prolly tired of me mentioning it but this duck mating stuff is killing me. When I first separated the sexes, girls were jumping on top of girls. Will this continue if I get rid of all of the boys?? I've been putting them back together here and there but no more as of today!

All drakes are in drake jail until I can find them new homes. The girls and I will be wearing purple (Blu-kote) for awhile now

Things I have learned in my 6 short months (11 ducklings in Dec. and 3 in April) of being a duck owner that I would do differently:

1. Ducks have no bowel control. I had heard ducks poop a lot. Had I been told they can not control their bowels I would have thought twice about getting 11 ducks to start.
2. Hen to drake ratio is of the utmost importance. Never again will I buy un-sexed ducks. I will gladly pay the extra money next time.
3. Ducklings grow VERY FAST
   
   ... 11 cute baby ducks that can't control their bowels in a brooder inside my house; I should of had the duck house ready to go MUCH sooner.
4. You can lead a duck to water but you can't make it swim. Well, I should clarify this and say... you can lead a duck to a stock tank/pond but you can't make it stay. This was our plan... grow 'em up and move them to our stock tank that is just across the fence
   
   Should have moved them from the brooder to the tank. They like our comfy back yard much better.
5. Ducks can scratch and claw you to near death at 20 weeks old. Already working on this one with the 3 KC's. Hope to have them snuggling very soon.
6. DO NOT get Blu-kote on skin. Thank goodness purple is my favorite color
   

This I like, you have hit the nail on the head and hopefully others contemplating getting ducks will read this and THINK before they leap. Ducks are awesome to own and share a life with but it's not always a bed of roses[ if there are any left after they have eaten them] and Blue Kote is awesome stuff I have worn it many days and weeks before, now I use Latex gloves when I have to use it.

 

[Amiga]

Ren2014, I appreciate the your role here on the Duck Forum. Glad you are with us!

And I hope you don't mind me holding a copy of your reflections to share with others, especially late winter when people are asking, "are ducks for me?"

We had eleven ducklings, also, runners - and I went with all females, paid the extra dollar a head. After what I have learned here, I think I stumbled onto the best approach for me. I am not superior to anyone, I just made a guess that worked out okay this time.

And, yes, eleven ducklings. In the house. For three solid months.


Here is the flock supervising me as I wash out their food and water containers in the tub. Wish I had a video of Acht poking her head into the waste basket, then the toilet, checking the acoustics.

 

[Starfire669]

Does anyone have just hens, no drakes?  I know it's just nature and y'all are prolly tired of me mentioning it but this duck mating stuff is killing me.  When I first separated the sexes, girls were jumping on top of girls.  Will this continue if I get rid of all of the boys??  I've been putting them back together here and there but no more as of today!   All drakes are in drake jail until I can find them new homes.  The girls and I will be wearing purple (Blu-kote) for awhile now

Things I have learned in my 6 short months (11 ducklings in Dec. and 3 in April) of being a duck owner that I would do differently:

1. Ducks have no bowel control.  I had heard ducks poop a lot.  Had I been told they can not control their bowels I would have thought twice about getting 11 ducks to start.
2. Hen to drake ratio is of the utmost importance.  Never again will I buy un-sexed ducks.  I will gladly pay the extra money next time.
3. Ducklings grow VERY FAST ... 11 cute baby ducks that can't control their bowels in a brooder inside my house; I should of had the duck house ready to go MUCH sooner.
4. You can lead a duck to water but you can't make it swim.  Well, I should clarify this and say... you can lead a duck to a stock tank/pond but you can't make it stay.  This was our plan... grow 'em up and move them to our stock tank that is just across the fence   Should have moved them from the brooder to the tank.  They like our comfy back yard much better.
5. Ducks can scratch and claw you to near death at 20 weeks old.  Already working on this one with the 3 KC's.  Hope to have them snuggling very soon.
6. DO NOT get Blu-kote on skin.  Thank goodness purple is my favorite color

I didn't brood the ducks I have. But I did start with 6 goslings and 19 chicks 12 weeks ago. That was a mess, and I kept adding and adding. My brooder hasn't had a break since I first stocked it. Out of the 6 goslings I started with I have 2 left as I lost 1 to niacin defiency and poisoning combined, gave a pair to my brother in law as an early B-day present, and sold 1 as it wasn't the breed I wanted. I also brought more chicks and goslings. Right now I have 2 each of 12, 7, 5,and 2 week old goslings. And I have a 5 month old BA X WL cross rooster. 7 RIR, 5BR, and 4 SLW straight run chicks that are 12 weeks old. 6 BO pullets that are 9 weeks old, and 9 (soon to be 6, as 3 are for my brother in law again, he has no brooding capabilities) BA pullets that are 6 weeks old. Talk about a large messy flock, lol

Then I had the ducks, 4 females 2 were laying and 1 drake. It had been my hope that with 4 female ducks and no other drakes that Howard would be satisfied and able to stay here for the rest of his life. But even with 2 hens inviting him to mount he still attacked the girls, all of them except the 1 I sent with him were harassed. Ebony was the smallest and got attacked the most, until she was injured yesterday. Daisy, being the same size as Howard had managed to fight back and win against Howard. Ivory sometimes invited Howard and other times he attacked her. Loudmouth was the only duck he never attacked and I think it's because she followed him everywhere doing the hey sexy dance inviting him up. I will also say that Daisy is confused, she often mounts the other girls and is the main one who would push Howard off the other ladies during mating.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I didn't brood the ducks I have. But I did start with 6 goslings and 19 chicks 12 weeks ago. That was a mess, and I kept adding and adding. My brooder hasn't had a break since I first stocked it. Out of the 6 goslings I started with I have 2 left as I lost 1 to niacin defiency and poisoning combined, gave Adair to Mu brother in law as an early B-day present, and sold 1 as it wasn't the breed I wanted. I also brought more chicks and goslings. Right now I have 2 each of 12, 7, 5,and 2 week old goslings. And I have a 5 month old BA X WL cross rooster. 7 RIR, 5BR, and 4 SLW straight run chicks that are 12 weeks old. 6 BO pullets that are 9 weeks old, and 9 (soon to be 6, as 3 are for my brother in law again, he has no brooding capabilities) BA pullets that are 6 weeks old. Talk about a large messy flock, lol

Then I had the ducks, 4 females 2 were laying and 1 drake. It had been my hope that with 4 female ducks and no other drakes that Howard would be satisfied and able to stay here for the rest of his life. But even with 2 hens inviting him to mount he still attacked the girls, all of them except the 1 I sent with him were harassed. Ebony was the smallest and got attacked the most, until she was injured yesterday. Daisy, being the same size as Howard had managed to fight back and win against Howard. Ivory sometimes invited Howard and other times he attacked her. Loudmouth was the only duck he never attacked and I think it's because she followed him everywhere doing the hey sexy dance inviting him up. I will also say that Daisy is confused, she often mounts the other girls and is the main one who would push Howard off the other ladies during mating.

Mating behavior between the ducks[girls] is very natural and just part of being ducks. When my drakes gets carried away and runs down a duck and I can see she really didn't invite him I just go over and knock him off gives her a chance to get away from him and he usually focuses his attentions on me long enough for her to get away. Thank goodness my drakes haven't abused their girls to the point they are injured but I keep a close eye on them all. and if it happens drake jail will be where they will end up.

 

[Starfire669]

I just opened up both coops and the feathered stampede was impressive. Our new new rooster is chasing my 12 week old pullets, not realizing they are too young for him. Thankfully he isn't too much bigger than they are and he has only managed to get a beak full of feather once. His dance is something funny to see. He spent the night in the duck/goose coop for my pullets safety.

Ebony is much better today. Her tail is straight and in normal position. She is still limping, but not near as bad as yesterday. I think a few warm water soaks today will help her improve more. I will see if she lays today, and if she does if the egg looks normal or not. Not concerned about not getting an egg, just concerned as her not laying could mean she is still injured on the insides.

 

[Starfire669]

Mating behavior between the ducks[girls] is very natural and just part of being ducks. When my drakes gets carried away and runs down a duck and I can see she really didn't invite him I just go over and knock him off gives her a chance to get away from him and he usually focuses his attentions on me long enough for her to get away. Thank goodness my drakes haven't abused their girls to the point they are injured but I keep a close eye on them all. and if it happens drake jail will be where they will end up. 

Right now I have 3 female ducks left, and ordered 2 female Cayuga ducklings that we pick up this Thursday. So for now no drakes in my yard.

But I have to ask, will drakes raised from ducklings turn out better? Howard was a rescue, no clue where he came from or how he was raised. Could raising a single drake from duckling to adulthood with his females make a difference? Or is it all hormonal/genetic? I'd like to have the Cayugas lay fertile eggs and let all the females who want to hatch a clutch, but not if it means they will be abused by the drake.

 

[Starfire669]

Ebony laid, and the egg was normal. It did take her longer than usual to get it out, but as long as she isn't egg bound I'm happy. Now to get her feet all fixed up and she will be back to her normal, healthy, happy self again. Do you think some Blu kote on her feet would help them heal better/faster?

Ebony is walking a lot more today. Getting into places that have poop on the ground. I was thinking some Blu Kote to disinfect and seal the cuts on the bottom of her feet to prevent infection?