What age for Drake to step up?

[NellaBean]

My ducks are about 16-17 weeks old now. Welsh Harlequin, 3 girls, 1 boy. The girls are RIDICULOUS. Head bobbing and falling over themselves trying to entice Howard the duck (er, drake) to give them some attention. I have 3 gallon nontip water bowl for the chickens and the ducks love to go to the closest one and get in there......then drape their head over the side and stretch their neck out.....one of the other girls will come over and nibble on the one doing that, etc etc.

It is really ridiculous

So at what point will the drake finally show them some love? I'm used to chickens where the boys are ready and raring to go from about 10-12 weeks old and the girls don't want anything to do with them.

When can I expect the drake to start showing some interest?

 

[Amiga]

Hmmm, good question.

I don't have drakes, though. I wonder if this guy is just a late bloomer. I would not count him out. Seems to me seven months is fully mature age. My ducklings started flirting at about ten weeks, but did not start laying until sixteen weeks, and that was the first egg. They weren't all on board until they were twenty weeks old.

 

[wpalmisano]

I know I see the first "activity" if you know what I mean, from my mallards at about 18-20 weeks and started by the hens.

 

[sheila3935]

Today I got home from work and hubby told me that our ducks were mating. He's not happy I am I want ducklings. My crested runner drake is 5 months and my Khaki campbell girl is 6 months. Shes been head bobbing at him since we got him 3 weeks ago.

 

[PlumTuckered]

My Pekin Drake and my Mallard Drake each started topping the girls at 20 weeks.

Michelle

 

[lovesduckies]

mine started at 5 months

 

[NellaBean]

Well, I caught the Drake doing his thing yesterday......they are 19-20 weeks old now.

So when are the girls gonna start laying? LOL