Why are my females fighting?

[Birdcrazy]

When I introduced my 2 younger ducks to my older female muscovy, one of the younger ducks instantly picked a fight. My muscovy girl was conent with them until that younger one turned aggrasive - the fighting was pretty savage and I did my best to pull them apart. They just wouldn't stop so I seperated them into different pens. A few weeks later my two younger ones got out of the pen and I found them later with my older girl - a few scratches on the one who picked a fight but otherwise they were both fearing and obeying the older girl's every command. Now I know it was a dominance thing and I'm sure its the same with yours - maybe just let them work it out? Mine are the best of friends nowdays but at the time it scared the living daylights outa me!
Hope it works out with yours

 

[CMV]

Well, the fighting continues this morning. They have been going at it all morning. My husband and I were watching them and the younger bird quacked something at Too (the older bird). Too pounced on her again and they were rolling around the duck pen. My husband said, "I'm not quite fluent in duck, but I'm pretty sure that cheeky bird just told Too that those feathers made her look fat!"

So it goes. No injuries yet- just lots of extra feathers floating around. If the fighting doesn't stop today they will be put in the quarantine cages.

Thanks for the insights, folks. I'm pretty sure it's a dominance thing, but I wish they would work it out and be done with it. I hate having to separate birds just because they got a bee in their bonnets and can't work it out. The fighting between these 2 birds has put the whole flock on edge. I normally get 5-7 eggs a day and this morning I got nothing. We'll see how the day goes.

 

[pirtykitty]

When we brought Judy into the flock back the end of July it was stanley who did the chasing.. and Daisy didn't do a thing.. When September/October hit the Daisy was giving her fits.. We fixed her a place to hide. Eventually they worked it out.. Now all 3 are friends.. Daisy still does the dominance thing a little.. but they are all eating together and swiming togther and going around the yard together as a flock now.. Even when Daisy was being horrible to Judy she would still come looking for her if she got lost and get her around them.. but also made her keep her distance.. The whole last few months has been very interesting.. It looks worse than it is.. while it's going on.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

My husband said, "I'm not quite fluent in duck, but I'm pretty sure that cheeky bird just told Too that those feathers made her look fat

That right there made my morning! Sorry, about the fighting, hope they come to terms soon.