Why are my female ducks fighting?

[aidanadia29]

Hi everyone,

I have two female muscovies. They have been cohabitating harmoniously for more than a year now, until the last week or so.

One of my girls is laying again (they’ve both been laying on and off) and has been particularly broody. They’ve been separated from each other as broody miss sits on her nest doing nothing. I get the impression that the other one is lonely without her company (but I’m no duck whisperer!).

When broody girl does eventually come out - or more like, I have to take her off her nest to make sure she has a feed - she starts attacking and bullying the other one. Chasing her around, pecking her, pulling out feathers. I cannot figure out what’s going on! I’m concerned about this behaviour and that it might turn into something long term. I’m not sure if it’s just because she’s broody or if something else is at play.

I’ve looked up some stuff online but what I’ve found seems to largely be related to infighting between drakes, hence my posting here. Any advice would be welcome! TIA.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is very typical of Muscovy's. Sometimes when mine are broody and I have taken all their eggs they will still make their sisters lives so miserable I have to put her in s separate coop by herself over night. They eventually get over it. Is your broody sitting on fertile eggs?

 

[aidanadia29]

This is very typical of Muscovy's. Sometimes when mine are broody and I have taken all their eggs they will still make their sisters lives so miserable I have to put her in s separate coop by herself over night. They eventually get over it. Is your broody sitting on fertile eggs?

Nope, no drakes. I’ve tried telling her that she’s wasting her time sitting on the eggs but it’s like she doesnt understand me

I will break her nest tomorrow and remove the bedding, see if that breaks the brood. She’s also not eating much at all, even if I put the food next to her or try to handfeed her. She’s still attacking my other baby who is very lonely. it’s not the first time either have been broody but this time is different! No one’s ever attacked each other before which is why I’m concerned. If that doesn’t work I’ll coop her up somewhere for a while, see if that doesn’t changer her attitude!

God love em. They’re wonderful little creatures but so difficult sometimes!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes spats are normal but sometimes they get out of control. I have tried everything imaginable to break mine of brooding but it never works they just have to wear it off. But def remove the eggs and nest material maybe put fresh down that worked with one of mine once. Just once though.

 

[mspfluger1]

I have a black Swedish she had a successful hatchling out of 6 eggs, I had to destroy the nest and the non vibal eggs. She was not happy. Anyway, the baby is 7 weeks old and I put them all together last weekend. I don't have anymore Drake's, I sold them cuz I don't want a bunch of babies and I don't have the space. They were fine up till yesterday. My black Swedish (mama) started attacking one of my females out of the blue. No one was bothering the baby. She would go into her coop, cuz I'm cooping her and baby at night together only, and it looked like she was trying to rebuild a nest. Now, she hasn't produced any eggs since brooding and after brooding. I'm not sure what is going on with her. Could she be thinking she's having more babies? I have put down all fresh bedding in her coop last weekend. I had to separate her and baby again last night in the run, because I was fearful of her really hurting my other female.

 

[mspfluger1]

Hi everyone,

I have two female muscovies. They have been cohabitating harmoniously for more than a year now, until the last week or so.

One of my girls is laying again (they’ve both been laying on and off) and has been particularly broody. They’ve been separated from each other as broody miss sits on her nest doing nothing. I get the impression that the other one is lonely without her company (but I’m no duck whisperer!).

When broody girl does eventually come out - or more like, I have to take her off her nest to make sure she has a feed - she starts attacking and bullying the other one. Chasing her around, pecking her, pulling out feathers. I cannot figure out what’s going on! I’m concerned about this behaviour and that it might turn into something long term. I’m not sure if it’s just because she’s broody or if something else is at play.

I’ve looked up some stuff online but what I’ve found seems to largely be related to infighting between drakes, hence my posting here. Any advice would be welcome! TIA.

You don't have to take her off her eggs, she will come out to bathe, eat and drink for a half hour to an hour. I don't usually put food and water in their coop especially at night, it makes to much of a mess. I started putting food and drink in the coop and left it overnight for her. I figured it was just her so it wasn't to messy. Also, you want to separate the flock from her, especially the Drake's cuz he will try to kill the eggs and hatchling once it comes. I used plastic a dog pen kennel and ran it across the center of the run so they can see each other but can't get to each other. It takes 8 weeks for the baby to be on its own so I've kept them separately since her brooding started. You can candle the eggs at the 2 week mark to see if they are vibal but mom will get upset if she is brooding and the eggs are vibal. She knows which eggs they are. She throws aside non vibal eggs