I currently have 6 ducks, 1 drake and 5 hens. We are greatly expanding the coop and run this year and I plan to get roughly 5 more hens from Metzer this year. I've dreamed of owning an Ancona for quite some time, ever since I first saw them. They're hard to find sexed though and I don't want an army of drakes. I did manage to find an awesome breeder in Maine that sells sexed trios, but requires you to take a male. My current drake is a Cayuga and he's wonderful. I had apprehensions about getting a drake starting out, but I'm happy I did because he's my buddy. He's very gentle, yet protective with the girls. He's never bitten me ever and he loves to run up and beg for treats. Overall, he's just easy to work with and full of personality. I'm concerned that if I take on another drake, he might change. I know that every situation is different, but has anyone ever introduced another drake like that and had success with both of them getting along in the long term? I believe the more hens the better just to even things out, so I'm hoping it would make a difference. I think I secretly want another drake because I love them, but I don't want to "rock the boat" so to speak. And I really just want an Ancona. If anyone knows of a place to buy them sexed, please let me know!
As you said yourself, it really does depend on the individual drakes...... I personally have 3 Welsh Harlequin drakes running in the same flock (although I haven't separated them into breeding pens yet) and they get on along fine. However, if you add my Khaki Campbell drake into the mix, then they will break out into a huge fight..... I know that 'Als Quackery' sell sexed juveniles, trios or adults (@learycow)..... http://alsquackery.weebly.com/anconas.html Alternatively, you could order some straight run Anconas from Metzer and give away any extra drakes (that way you can pick out a drake which gets on okay with your existing Cayuga drake). Best of luck, Charlotte
That's still helpful to hear though. I just hadn't really heard of many people having multiple drakes along with the females and them getting along good. I didn't know if it was possible. Al's Quakery is where I'm planning to get mine from if I can. We are going to a family reunion up that way, so it works out perfectly that I should be able to pick up on the way home and they won't even have to ship. Crackle Hatcery also sells them straight run, but I don't really know of anyone I could give the extra males to.
