Recently, my muscovy drake Ivan has started attacking one of my roosters, a Polish named Stella (who was supposed to be the female of a young pair, until "she" grew spurs and started crowing). I have five roosters in a pretty small, generally peacable flock. Stella is the biggest and at least number two in rank (though the top cock, a silkie, is too much of a gentleman to get involved in petty fighting).
Ivan was raised with a few silkie pullets and had been interested in mating my big Cornish X girls, but doesn't try anymore since I always intervened. He's always been more interested in chickens than ducks, so I'm pretty sure he has an identy crisis. Now I think I am Ivan's main love interest. He shares a pen with a muscovy female but doesn't pay much attention to her, and none at all during supervised "free range time." But when he's not hanging out with me, he's jumping on Stella's back and grabbing him ruthlessly by the neck. And Stella doesn't try avoiding Ivan, but will do the cockfighting moves, even though he always seems to wind up the loser.
I always have to intervene by removing Ivan. It's getting harder when his bill is clamped so hard on Stella's hackles, and then Ivan is all flappy when I take him away. I tell him he's a bad duck and hold him tightly (and will try putting him on his back) to let him know I'M BOSS in these parts. Since he doesn't seem to be learning fast enough I think I will not let them free range together (their pens are separated) or someone might get killed.
But why is he picking on this one roo and nobody else? Does a duck get involved in chicken politics, knowing who's got clout in the chicken yard? Would having more of his own muscovy females help or is he just hopelessly imprinted and confused? He is about 10 1/2 months old now and he's a total sweetie otherwise.
Ivan was raised with a few silkie pullets and had been interested in mating my big Cornish X girls, but doesn't try anymore since I always intervened. He's always been more interested in chickens than ducks, so I'm pretty sure he has an identy crisis. Now I think I am Ivan's main love interest. He shares a pen with a muscovy female but doesn't pay much attention to her, and none at all during supervised "free range time." But when he's not hanging out with me, he's jumping on Stella's back and grabbing him ruthlessly by the neck. And Stella doesn't try avoiding Ivan, but will do the cockfighting moves, even though he always seems to wind up the loser.
I always have to intervene by removing Ivan. It's getting harder when his bill is clamped so hard on Stella's hackles, and then Ivan is all flappy when I take him away. I tell him he's a bad duck and hold him tightly (and will try putting him on his back) to let him know I'M BOSS in these parts. Since he doesn't seem to be learning fast enough I think I will not let them free range together (their pens are separated) or someone might get killed.
But why is he picking on this one roo and nobody else? Does a duck get involved in chicken politics, knowing who's got clout in the chicken yard? Would having more of his own muscovy females help or is he just hopelessly imprinted and confused? He is about 10 1/2 months old now and he's a total sweetie otherwise.
