Water Pool Territorial Agression Male Ducks

[Quackalack]

I have three male ducks from the same clutch. They get along for the most part and are always together. They get to play and forage in the yard all day and then go into their pen at night.
I had a kiddie pool for them but two of them would chase away the third and bite his neck, especially on the days the pool was cleaned with fresh water. So I got them two more kiddie pools thinking that would help, but it didn't! They are still chasing poor Hay Hay away from all of the pools!

I have the pools set up just a couple feet away from each other. Next step is to move them to opposite sides of the yard to see if that helps.
If that doesn't work then my next step is to look into installing a big pond with a filter or something, which is something I'd like anyway so they can have a deeper water.


Anyone else have suggestions? Thank you.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

I don't know what to say.
I have two drakes but have 7 hens as well, and only one big water tub deep enough for them to swim in and then about four waterers that they can dunk their heads in.

How big is their area?

@Miss Lydia @IvysAnimals

 

[Isadora]

I would definitely move their pools farther away from each other. They can't guard all of them at the same time!

 

[Quackalack]

I don't know what to say.
I have two drakes but have 7 hens as well, and only one big water tub deep enough for them to swim in and then about four waterers that they can dunk their heads in.

How big is their area?

@Miss Lydia @IvysAnimals

The front yard is 50'x50' and sometimes they have access to a section of the back which is maybe 40'x 15' plus the side is maybe 20'x 10'.

Maybe I can add a few more buckets for head dunking just scattered around the yard and see if that helps.

 

[Quackalack]

I would definitely move their pools farther away from each other. They can't guard all of them at the same time!

I hope that will help! I'll try that when the water needs to be changed. I am worried that Hay Hay won't go to the pool if it's too far away from the other ducks. I tried penning the other two up a while ago to give Hay Hay a chance to swim but he just wanted to be near the other two. =/

 

[Isadora]

I hope that will help! I'll try that when the water needs to be changed. I am worried that Hay Hay won't go to the pool if it's too far away from the other ducks. I tried penning the other two up a while ago to give Hay Hay a chance to swim but he just wanted to be near the other two. =/

Oh yeah, that's understandable. They truly get bonded to each other. Let us know how it works out and we'll see if we can figure out something else if that doesn't work.

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, the two dominate males are trying to breed the subordinate male if they are grabbing the back of his neck. What I always go by is one male per two females. Maybe you can trade two males for two females. What breed are they? Good luck.

 

[Quackalack]

Hi, the two dominate males are trying to breed the subordinate male if they are grabbing the back of his neck. What I always go by is one male per two females. Maybe you can trade two males for two females. What breed are they? Good luck.

They are Anconas. I'm not really familiar with duck mating. They both will kind of bite each other's necks and then Snickers will charge at Hay Hay with his head low to the ground. He only does this when Hay Hay tries to get in the pool. Does that sound like mating behavior? I tried to upload a video but it would let me.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

They are Anconas. I'm not really familiar with duck mating. They both will kind of bite each other's necks and then Snickers will charge at Hay Hay with his head low to the ground. He only does this when Hay Hay tries to get in the pool. Does that sound like mating behavior? I tried to upload a video but it would let me.

If they're lowering they're heads that means their chasing them to shoe them away, if they try hopping on the others and grab the back of their necks that usually means they're trying to mate.
You can upload to youtube or some other video platform and then post the the link here.

 

[swampfox440]

How old are they?