Will drakes attack and try to kill other drakes?

[kaumlauf]

Hi Folks, I can bet this question comes up a lot. Will mallard drakes attack and kill other mallard drakes? My flock has 4 males and 2 females. Ratio of boys to girls too high?

 

[Aapomp831]

Yes. Males of all species do that.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Hi Folks, I can bet this question comes up a lot. Will mallard drakes attack and kill other mallard drakes? My flock has 4 males and 2 females. Ratio of boys to girls too high?

Yes! They need 5-6 females per drake!

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

And they can kill each other and there’s more of a chance with so little females!

 

[Trisseh]

The drakes will fight over the girls but the real losers will be those poor girls! Drakes will overmate the females in a ratio like that and may even kill them in their ministrations. Males that are raised together may get along better, although that’s still not always the case. If you’re planning on keeping everyone, separate out all the drakes, into a “bachelor” flock, or if not keeping everyone, rehome 3 or all of the drakes, or get a LOT more females. Even then, some drakes have their favorites and one hen will be overmated even with an abundance of ladies.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

rehome the girls. they’ll be best friends without girls, but kill each other and the girls if not separated

 

[kaumlauf]

And they can kill each other and there’s more of a chance with so little females!

Thank you.

 

[kaumlauf]

The drakes will fight over the girls but the real losers will be those poor girls! Drakes will overmate the females in a ratio like that and may even kill them in their ministrations. Males that are raised together may get along better, although that’s still not always the case. If you’re planning on keeping everyone, separate out all the drakes, into a “bachelor” flock, or if not keeping everyone, rehome 3 or all of the drakes, or get a LOT more females. Even then, some drakes have their favorites and one hen will be overmated even with an abundance of ladies.

I have re-homed them all, thank you.

 

[kaumlauf]

rehome the girls. they’ll be best friends without girls, but kill each other and the girls if not separated

They have all been re-homed. Thanks for the advice.

 

[kaumlauf]

Thank you.

I have re-homed them all.