Drakes.

[awyman]

Has anyone ever had a group of drakes that weren’t rough with females? I have 4 drakes and 7 girls. I know that’s a terrible ratio. I really hate to rehome any of my drakes because I’ve grown so attached to them. I know I could always get more females but I hate to do that because I already have my hands full with my 11 ducks already. So I just want to know is there any hope for keeping all my drakes? Worst comes to worst I’ll put them in another enclosure but I’d love for them to be one big happy duck family. Advice?

 

[DuckyDonna]

@thumper650 has lots of drakes. He'll tell you what to do!

 

[thumper650]

When hormones are high, in the summer you may need to seperate. And seperate within the Drake pen possibly. I have pekins vs runners in one pen seperated down the middle. On the other side of the yard I have adopted 2 more drakes and a hen. One Drake is partially blind and he's bonded to the other 2. So far they have not over bred her. I think she's actually the one in charge.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

I have a couple of drakes with my hens, and I've never really experienced them being rough with my girls. Then again, they have a lot of space where they live so they can get away from one another. I actually have the same ratio to you; seven girls to four guys.

Editing to say I have Muscovies. All are a year old.

I have one drake that's kind of ridiculous and every time he sees one of the girls he HAS to chase her, but I usually block him if I see him do that and he leaves them alone and settles down, or I just let them figure it out. He is very cautious around me lol.

A couple of them have even paired up with a favorite girl and go around as a pair. I think once I noticed a little bald spot on the head of one hen, but I haven't seen it since in any of them, and I've never seen any injuries. So I have reason to believe they're getting along pretty fairly.

I don't separate but I do keep an eye on them. Like I said, I've never experienced any real problems.

 

[DuckyDonna]

and then sometimes you get one young drake (with 6 girls) who turns into a little sex machine and bloodys the necks of all the girls except 1!