Will male welsh harlequin get along if there are more males than females or all males?

[Scooter&Suzie]

I was thinking of buying a bigger coop for my chickens, which would then leave a 3' by 3' coop empty. Heaven forbid having an empty coop! I recently was reading about welsh harlequin ducks. I would love to have two or three! I'm assuming ducks need more room, so probably only two would fit. I was thinking of hatching the eggs or buying them as straight run (because most chicks I buy come from people who can't tell genders apart). The problem, is I don't know much about ducks. I would never keep a full size rooster with just one hen, or even think of keeping two roosters together without any other chickens! But are drakes more gentle? I would love to have a pair to show, but who knows if the genders will work out. Can I keep just a male and female together, or two males together? Most people who have ducks are probably laughing, but I figure someone else might be wondering so I can be the fool for them

After all, you guys will never meet me, so...

I'll ask.

 

[Kevin565]

Drakes can be very aggressive breeders. . Drakes can be kept together fine once they establish a pecking order. Ducks can be kept in pairs but some Drakes can be too aggressive a 1:1 ratio.

 

[Amiga]

I was thinking of buying a bigger coop for my chickens, which would then leave a 3' by 3' coop empty. Heaven forbid having an empty coop! I recently was reading about welsh harlequin ducks. I would love to have two or three! I'm assuming ducks need more room, so probably only two would fit. I was thinking of hatching the eggs or buying them as straight run (because most chicks I buy come from people who can't tell genders apart). The problem, is I don't know much about ducks. I would never keep a full size rooster with just one hen, or even think of keeping two roosters together without any other chickens! But are drakes more gentle? I would love to have a pair to show, but who knows if the genders will work out. Can I keep just a male and female together, or two males together? Most people who have ducks are probably laughing, but I figure someone else might be wondering so I can be the fool for them

After all, you guys will never meet me, so...

I'll ask.

One never knows, we may meet someday!

And these are good questions that I would MUCH rather you ask before diving into Duckdom. So, thanks very much!

Kevin565 gave you some really sage advice. There are folks who keep a pair of drakes and they are happy guys, no troubles. And some keep a male/female pair of ducks, all is well.

and then . . . . there are . . . . the others . . . .

Some drakes, and I don't know anyone who can predict it, are just flaming jerks. They can be brutal with other ducks, other drakes . . . I read a few days ago that Dutch Hookbill drakes are actually not aggressive when they mate.

 

[Showvol]

Currently, we have one pair of Welsh Harlequin roughly 20 weeks old and they get along well together and with other poultry that we have.

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[jdywntr]

Great advice so far. The only thing that I will add is that if you have only drakes, you will most likely need to keep them seperated from your chickens. A randy drake does not care that a chicken is not anatomically compatible and will mate hens. This can injure or kill the chicken. I would say your best bet is to get a pair or keep males seperated. But, as stated previously, 1 hen may not be enough for the drake.

Also, research raising ducklings, its similar to chicks but some differences.

Congratulations on your decision to maybe get into ducks. You will soon realize how messy, stinky and gross ducklings are. But then you get the reward of cute, funny duckiness (it balances out the grossness)