What to do with this outcasted drake?

[Miss Lydia]

That sounds like a good plan until you can get your pen and coop fixed. As for which girl is there one that hangs with him at all? if not just choose one. you could actually switch them off an on. Domestic ducks don't actually pair up for life so choosing which one isn't that important unless he is especially bonded with one of your girls.

 

[SeaSea47]

That sounds like a good plan until you can get your pen and coop fixed. As for which girl is there one that hangs with him at all? if not just choose one. you could actually switch them off an on.

They actually all seem to want to hang out with him. When I get my separate run built, I'm actually also considering putting the other two boys in the separation pen and letting him stay with the girls since they seem to favor him over the other two.

 

[ruthhope]

That's what I'm afraid of. Next week, when our weather is a little better and I had more time off work, I'm going to add on some extra space to their run so I can keep him and one of the girls separate during mating season or until I can get more girls. I'm just trying to figure out what to do with him in the meantime. I may have to bring him back on my porch for a week or two...maybe with one of the girls. I just don't know which one to choose.

I use a dog crate when I have an aggressive muscovy drake attacking my other drakes. I know when I need to use it as the other two will not go in the coop with aggressive drake inside, unless he is in the crate.

If you don't have a dog crate, pls do keep your little guy on your porch.

You might be able to get a second hand dog crate cheaply by advertising on social media, if there isn't one for sale on Craig's list or Facebook marketplace. I got mine through Nextdoor

 

[SeaSea47]

Thanks for all of your advice. I let him go into the pen for a few minutes after they free-ranged for about 5 hours (I stayed with him in the pen), and things were fine for a few minutes, but they chased him back out. I felt so bad for him because he really wanted to get back in, but I caught him, and he's back on the porch now. He didn't put up as big of a fight today. Tomorrow, I'll bring him a girlfriend to keep him company (all the girls were kind of tucked in and ready for bed tonight and I didn't want to disturb them), though he seems to enjoy my cat's company. He's actually eating up a storm right now, so I'm guessing they didn't let him eat all afternoon.

I've got a little corner between my chicken coop and the duck pen that I could add on to make a small time-out pen for one or two ducks, but they'll also be able to see the other ones still so hopefully, they can all merge back together when I get more girls this year and/or mating season is over. I might take turns with letting each group free range each day? We've got some more nasty winter weather coming later this week, so I'm hesitant to start on it just yet. Plus, I need to make some plans and run to get the lumber and hardware cloth or maybe figure out if I can use these pallets I have sitting around.

But he's safe for now. I love all my ducks and couldn't let them get hurt on purpose. I've got a large glassed-in porch/sunroom that's actually bigger than their pen, and I was planning to replace the carpet out there this spring anyway, so he's got his run of the place and he can see outside from all angles or look inside and see us. He's got his blanket, and his food and water and some peas and mealworms, and I'm gonna put a tarp down and little tub tomorrow so he can splash around in it until I'm ready to take him back out. He's actually become more friendly towards me through all of this, so that's a plus. My girls will eat out of my hands and climb all over me when I sit down, but the boys have always been more stand-offish.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like you have it well under control. He'll enjoy having one of the girls in with him for company. Keep us updated.

 

[SeaSea47]

I finally got around to fixing a pen for my little outcast guy today. I had to stop because one of my dumb chickens got stuck in a pallet I was using for a wall but I should have it done in a few days. I need to run to get some more hardware cloth.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time deciding who to put in it. My main group now is two drakes and three hens. The two drakes in that group chase each other and peck at each other a bit but they seem to live harmoniously otherwise. I'm debating putting them in the small pen and putting the outcast with all the girls. The other option would be to take one of my girls out of the main group and put her in with the outcast boy in the small pen, but I am afraid of over-mating if I do that. I am going to get more female ducks in April/May, but they won't be ready to go out with the boys until late summer. And no matter what I do, they'll all free-range together. They'll also have a hardware cloth separating the two pens so they'll still see each other when they are penned up.

 

[ruthhope]

I finally got around to fixing a pen for my little outcast guy today. I had to stop because one of my dumb chickens got stuck in a pallet I was using for a wall but I should have it done in a few days. I need to run to get some more hardware cloth.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time deciding who to put in it. My main group now is two drakes and three hens. The two drakes in that group chase each other and peck at each other a bit but they seem to live harmoniously otherwise. I'm debating putting them in the small pen and putting the outcast with all the girls. The other option would be to take one of my girls out of the main group and put her in with the outcast boy in the small pen, but I am afraid of over-mating if I do that. I am going to get more female ducks in April/May, but they won't be ready to go out with the boys until late summer. And no matter what I do, they'll all free-range together. They'll also have a hardware cloth separating the two pens so they'll still see each other when they are penned up.

I agree with putting the two pecky drakes in the small pen and putting the outcast with all the girls at night. Best solution until you have more breeding age girls!
Do watch out for what happens to your three girls during the day when they are all free ranging. The drakes might have to take it in turns to be confined and only 1 drake be out with the girls

 

[SeaSea47]

I agree with putting the two pecky drakes in the small pen and putting the outcast with all the girls at night. Best solution until you have more breeding age girls!
Do watch out for what happens to your three girls during the day when they are all free ranging. The drakes might have to take it in turns to be confined and only 1 drake be out with the girls

That's probably the best idea. I just hate to mess up all the dynamics. I'm hoping once I add some new girls this fall, everyone can live happily together.