Topic of the Week - Drakes and Drake Behaviour

[Miss Lydia]

My Runner drake Snoop was breeding his females all winter unless he was just going through the motions and didn't really have his penis. lol

 

[chickens really]

Also I did ask if it could be sexually transmitted and they totally didn't believe that is the case at all..It was scary thinking all the thoughts I had..

 

[chickens really]

Anyways ..I did not find it funny..

 

[313759]

We used to own a Muscovy drake, whom we called "Duck Dog". Because every time we got off the bus he would be waiting by the front door, wagging his tail and making his weird exhaling noises as he knew every time we got home we would give him some cracked corn. He would come into the house whenever he got the chance and would eat the dog food. You could pet him (well, if he doesn't mind it) and he would gently nibble you with his beak, unless you pet his head. Then as he nibbled you he would gradually bite harder in warning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like My Muscovy Drake he is pretty weird. Loves to come inside in winter since it isn't breeding season and he has his own bowl and eats his fav treat dog food. lol He was a rescue from his mama who wanted to kill him after hatch. So he really did think he was one of the dogs since he was inside with them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

In general muscovy drakes are mellow and interactive in my experiences. I have never had an aggressive one. I love the tail wagging, head bobbing greeting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Only time my Muscovy drake is aggressive is with my gander, they hate each other.

 

[Colley12]

I have one drake with 2 females. The ratio seems to be good so far, but I know spring/summer may be different and I have preparations in place for when that time comes for separation.

My drake definitely guards his flock when we come out or the dog goes into the backyard. He hasn't tried anything....but he's like the ghosts in Super Mario...when you aren't looking he sneaks up, but when you turn and face him he stops or walks the other way. (My kids play that game and we saw that level and laughed so hard, saying that is exactly what Gerald does, he's also grey/white). I think this is normal behavior and I'm waiting to see what he does. He is never aggressive...just sneaky. We can pet the girls while giving treats and whatnot, he just stands behind them and talks to us.

Also his neck fluffs up when we are out there. The kids laugh and say he has a mohawk...guessing this is also more of his territorial drake behavior?

 

[Jenbirdee]

I tried having a drake with my girls a few times but none of them worked out ~ the first 2 freaked out my youngest daughter (when she was a teenager) and she thought he was killing the girls ~ she kept running out back and screaming at them ~ and the last one we tried wouldnt allow my oldest disabled hen into the coop during a freezing rain storm and she was shivering covered in ice ~ that was it for him~ no more drakes here since

 

[davez]

Just to reiterate... It depends.
Mostly, more hens than drakes is good. All drakes and no hens is fine. As is all hens. The ratios varies. The older the drake the fewer the hens. They get tired apparently.
Both sexes will mount the same sex to show dominance. It may look like mating but it isn't. I've seen drakes do this to hens as well- just to show dominance.
If you have NO experience, err to caution and make sure you have plenty of hens per drake. Also be ready to separate or eliminate birds of you need to.
I have had a drake fall in love with one hen and he had no interest in the others. It was funny. YMMV
All of my behavioral experience was with Australian spotted ducks. I've had about 7-8 years of experience with them. (I've had other breeds when I was younger for shorter periods of time.)