What to Do?

[Quack head]

I have a hen and drake three months old and four other hens and one drake. The plan was to harvest the young drake and let the duck join the flock. To help with this transition I let the two young ducks join the flock in free ranging. It has been five days now and it seems to be going better. The two young ducks are kept a few feet away from the main flock and if they get too closet older drake and ducks reprimands them. It seems to be less and less each day.

With all that being said I have grown quite fond of the young drake, he comes up with the young hen and eats from my hand with I feed everyone mealworms. Can you have two drakes with five hens is my question?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

there’s not a set number of hens you need per drake. all depends on their individual personalities. personally i have one drake with two hens and then two other drakes with no hens. all of them do perfectly fine. so just keep them all and see if it will work.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I had two drakes with four hens for a couple years. In the winter, everyone got along. Come spring, the drakes’ hormones would go up and trouble would start. The first year, the drakes would fight. After that, they were buddies but they would each rape the other drake’s girls and it got worse and worse. They were spending at least 6 months in drake jail every year. I got rid of the roughest drake last year. Still, my other drake is still mean to the two hens which weren’t his. He doesn’t just rape them, he bloodies their necks. I am toying with getting rid of him and getting a new drake for my now five girls. I say all this as a warning. I decided to see how things went because I liked both my drakes. I wish I hadn’t.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

I had two drakes with four hens for a couple years. In the winter, everyone got along. Come spring, the drakes’ hormones would go up and trouble would start. The first year, the drakes would fight. After that, they were buddies but they would each rape the other drake’s girls and it got worse and worse. They were spending at least 6 months in drake jail every year. I got rid of the roughest drake last year. Still, my other drake is still mean to the two hens which weren’t his. He doesn’t just rape them, he bloodies their necks. I am toying with getting rid of him and getting a new drake for my now five girls. I say all this as a warning. I decided to see how things went because I liked both my drakes. I wish I hadn’t.

not all drakes are like that though. my boys are all super sweet and just as loving as my girls.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

not all drakes are like that though. my boys are all super sweet and just as loving as my girls.

I never said my boys weren’t sweet or loving. The drake I got rid of used to snuggle with me and was great to his girls. But, he hurt one of the other drake’s girls so badly (hip injury) she eventually died. I am just trying to let the op know what I didn’t. That “just trying it” can create a bad situation. Ducks have long memories and they decide the rules.

 

[FunQuail]

I have a hen and drake three months old and four other hens and one drake. The plan was to harvest the young drake and let the duck join the flock. To help with this transition I let the two young ducks join the flock in free ranging. It has been five days now and it seems to be going better. The two young ducks are kept a few feet away from the main flock and if they get too closet older drake and ducks reprimands them. It seems to be less and less each day.

With all that being said I have grown quite fond of the young drake, he comes up with the young hen and eats from my hand with I feed everyone mealworms. Can you have two drakes with five hens is my question?

I have two extra drakes myself I just keep them in drake jail all the time. I can't bring myself to get rid of them or cull them. If your drakes get along I would get another 5 females or during the worst part of the breeding season separate one or both of your drakes.
Good luck!