why?

[ladycrotalus]

All of a sudden my drake started trying to kill one of my roosters. It started this mornin, my dad took the hose to them. Then when i got up he yelled for me and they were going at it again. I grabbed my roo and ushered the drake into the pool. I had to go for a bit and when i got back i asked dad if they got into it again, he said no. Since i was gonna be home i let everyone out to graze. They started in again. I grabbed the drake and held him for a couple minutes which he did not like. Then i set him down. He then goes after the rooster again, grabs him by the hangy thing under his beak and is trying to rip it off. Im trying to catch them but they go under the porch then they come out and i try to grab my drake but he takes off and the rooster starts chasing so i grab him and hang him upside down by his legs, then i set him down and all is well, they havnt fought since then. I dont understand what started this brawl. He isnt going after the other 2 roosters. I thought maybe he was protecting his 2 girls from the one roo, but the other 2 roos mount the ducks more often. Im at a loss.

 

[Duck Keeper]

Ducks have weaker legs than chickens, so I would advise against holding him by the legs.


But I don't think he was trying to physically KILL your rooster, he's probably fighting for dominance over his own female ducks. Fighting usually occurs when one drake or rooster wants all of the hens or ducks for himself and doesn't want to share.

If he continues to be brutal to your rooster, consider rehoming or doing something -else- with him. Remove him from the flock. -cough cough- eat -cough-

 

[ladycrotalus]

Quote:
Nah i didnt hold the duck by his legs, i just picked him up and held him for a bit.

I cant eat him, i like him too much.

Im gonna save up some money and build a separate coop for the ducks.

 

[Duck Keeper]

Oh good.

Yeah, I see what you mean about liking ducks too much!

It gets harder and harder to downsize for winter as time goes on...
I just added two more ducks to my sale pen. -sigh-


And a separate coop for your ducks is great! As long as you make it water proof or resolve to never put water in there.

 

[1lpoock]

Yeah...they are just trying to show who is dominate...one of them will end up winning. When I introduced my BEI drake to my grey call drake they fought for a few minutes and so did the hens too...they pulled at feathers and were rolling around, but now they are perfectly fine with each other, the call drake accepted defeat

 

[ladycrotalus]

ACK!! I went out to let them out of the coop this morning and my drakes eye is swollen.

I called all the vets 7 of them and only 1 treats poultry. Well there is one other but he goes to your house and im not comfortable with that, i mean where is he gonna look at my duck on my kitchen table???
So i made an appoitment and the closest they could get me in was monday at 9:45am. Tonight when i get done work im gonna isolate him in a big guinea pig cage i have. Is there anything i can do until then? Maybe flush his eye out with saline?

On another note something is wrong with one my chickens but ill make another post in the sick chicken section.

I made plans to bring her into the vet too.

I can get pics and post them tonight.