Why is my drake only after 1 female?

[Mcgheeii73]

Well the short question is, would my "suspected" black swedish only take a liking to my "suspected" silver appleyard handicapped duck (more details below) and not the other female duck? And is it too early for them to mate at 3 months old? He shows no signs of love interest in my other female (which looks like a blue swedish without a bib or blue indian runner without the running)

I have 3 ducks which I got as 1-3 day old ducklings at the middle to end of May this year. I thought they were all female but realized one is definitely male by his quack (or lack of) and his new drake feather he's sporting. I've posted previously about one of my ducks being somewhat handicapped. My little Adriana does not know how to be a duck, she has unsteady balance, and one time fell onto her back and could not get up for 8 hours while we were gone. She beat her wing up awful but it's since healed. She also holds her head crooked back tightly at the neck with chest and belly stuck out as though she can't stick her neck out straight, and her left wing doesn't extend as far out as the right one when she flaps, she also doesn't swim a lot and occassionally doesn't clean her nostrils out, she has feathered legs. The two other ducks ignore her mostly, sad for me to see. However when I change their pool, the drake bites at her neck and tries to mount her until she get mad and leaves. I have to put her into the water 90% of the time, she loves to be in it but doesn't really volunteer to get in it often (it's definitely accessible to her with rocks all around it and a step rock inside to help her out). I'm terrified he will drown her as she's smaller and not a typical duck with her defense ability. Do I take him back to the duck farm (a local family owned farm with a big pond and fence who have ducks for leisure) I got him from and keep just the 2 females? I love my drake but Adriana will never survive a big pond with many males and no special attention to her needs.

Hope my pics upload ok...

 

[Mcgheeii73]

I wanted to clarify, my drake seems to only "pester" Adriana in the water. When she gets out he doesn't follow. Sometimes they will all 3 be in the water and no incident, but it seems like more often he is going after her neck and trying to get on her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If she doesn’t get in the pool on her own why not let her swim and put your drake up while she is in the pool. That way you don’t have to worry about him drowning her. It def can happen and I am sure that would be heartbreaking for you.

 

[Jpat]

My small kahki mix drake drowned my huge jumbo pekin in 6 inches of water .

 

[Mcgheeii73]

She does sometimes get in it on her own. I actually work two jobs. They are put into their house at night (the large A-frame you see) with food, water, straw at 10pm. At 6am they're let out with fresh food and water and, then I'm home to change their swim water (daily or every other day change usually) and check their food and drinking waters at about 5pm, give them a treat of lettuce or fruit, then gone again until their bedtime which I give them peas for snack. I hate to think about locking him up more than the 8 hours he already is locked up, as I don't get to do a lot if interaction except when I'm home briefly at 5pm. On weekends its not as hectic and i spend a lot more time with them. And I'm also concerned that he will hurt her in the house at night... I've read on here that the drakes sometimes hold the ducks down outside of water, too. I just wouldn't forgive myself if he hurt her. It's not his fault but I'm thinking I'll have to give him back and just keep the two girls. I didn't want a drake because of this, it was an oops during sexing.

 

[Mcgheeii73]

My small kahki mix drake drowned my huge jumbo pekin in 6 inches of water . View attachment 1886982 View attachment 1886983

How awful! My pool is even bigger and my Adriana doesn't right herself as fast as the other two when she rolls in the water. She kind of looks like she's doing a dead-mans-float on her side for a second longer than the other two. She hops around a lot on the ground too, whereas I've never seen the other two hop (just waddle). I hate you lost your girl that way.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think that is your best option then to give him back. But know this females will mount females when in the pool so once your drake is gone you might want to make sure Adriana isn’t getting in trouble from your females.

 

[chickens really]

Put the disabled Duck in a look no touch pen so she can still interact at a safe distance..

 

[Mcgheeii73]

I think that is your best option then to give him back. But know this females will mount females when in the pool so once your drake is gone you might want to make sure Adriana isn’t getting in trouble from your females.

I had never heard that, I'm new to ducks. The more you know!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes females love playing hop on top even if they have a drake they’ll still do it. I see mine all the time when in the pool. Go through the whole mating thing.