# Drakes fighting



## lilachill (Apr 2, 2006)

One of my drakes (3 drakes/6 ducks) pulled feathers and skin off the shoulder and injured the area around the eye of another drake. When I moved them into the night coop the subordinate drake was chased out. This is when I noticed the extent of the damage and put him in a " recovery coop". The ducks have access to a large farmyard and field during the day, free choice of dried corn on the cob and plenty of food and water.
The only change to the flock is that two weeks ago another drake injured his foot and was removed from the flock. I did not notice skirmishes before yesterday. 
Before the injury and fighting I had 4 obvious pairs and 2 spinsters. I do not want to lose this drake as part of my stock.
*Is this kind of behavior common as we move towards spring?
*Could I put this drake in his own pen with the spinster ducks so they could form their own breeding trio?I would hope that after the spring breeding season the ducks could be reintroduced.
*Would Blu-kote be a good way yo protect the skinned area?


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

You don't have to keep ducks in pairs. One drake will take care of several hens.
Too many drakes usually causes problems. Either fighting or damage to the ducks.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

My opinion, you've got too many drakes for the number of ducks. Or else the space they are confined in is too small.

If you removed a drake, you unsettled the hierarchy and now everyone has to work it out, again.

I've had ducks off and on for 40 years and never had drakes fight. If I had drakes actually injuring each other, I would separate them and probably get rid of a few drakes. They don't normally fight like roosters are prone to do, so something is out of kilter in your flock.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I wonder if you actually saw your drake do the injury. It sounds more like a predator grabbed him through the wire, or he got his head caught somewhere and injured himself trying to escape.

I've never seen drakes do more than push and shove. No ripping or tearing at each other.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I have had drakes fight before. Once when introducing a few new, young ducks whichj 1 was a drake my old drake would not let him be. This went on for a long time. We tried everything & finally got rid of the 1 drake & everything was fine.

Then this summer I introduced a pair of welsh Harlequins & my Trout drake was really picking on him but they've worked it out & been best buddies for months now. I think they were just getting used to each other.

Sounds like you have too many drakes for the amount of ducks you have.


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## lilachill (Apr 2, 2006)

Thank you so much for your responses. This is my first breeding season with more than a trio of ducks. 
These are Saxony ducks. I kept the 4 drakes (the one with the foot injury has been butchered) as a security against losing all my drakes to injury or predator attack because of the rarity of the breed. Until this week there was no trouble, the group ranges over a couple acres during the day and have a secure pen at night. When I saw the chasing and fighting, I thought it would be mild and would reestablish the pecking order.
As of now the outed drake is in a separate pen with one duck, I will keep watch over his injuries, and save some of their eggs for hatching.
I will keep track of the other two drakes with the ducks. If the dominant drake becomes too aggressive, I will move out another duck with him. This will give me plenty of eggs, without losing backup drakes.
To hedge against loss of breeding stock, has anyone kept a separate pen of bachelors during breeding season?
BTW, we love the ducks-homestead comedy, delicious meat and beautiful birds.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

I've never had drakes actually do damage to each other. The injury sounds like a predator attack to me. I've watched drakes fight and sometimes feathers get pulled, but that's about it. Then again, my guys freerange. 

If drake aggression really is the/a problem, keep one drake with the girls and keep the back-ups in a bachelor pad.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I have had a drake fight draw blood, it is highly unusual. I did butcher the aggressive drake and that took care of the whole problem - I didn't want that in my breeding stock. Yes, I do keep a bachelor pen most of the year. I have anywhere from 3 to 5 drakes in it and they all get along fine most of the time. 

In the spring, I separate out breeding pens and run most of the ducks with the remaining drakes if I can. Mostly its a bit of a pain to rotate so that all my ducks get out to forage and play in the big yard. 

Anyway, if you can set up a bachelor pen, that works well in general.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I've got more drakes than I need. The same thing. I am afraid I will lose a drake and they are too difficult to replace.

In a couple of days, the breeds will get separated into their breeding pens. If the drakes can't get along, I will separate them. But until there is trouble, they will stay together with their own flock. I've never had problems with the ducks, but with animals, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

The drakes fight every year. Some times they draw blood. Mine are already getting edgy around each other.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Darren - what sort of ducks do you have? I find my Mallard derivative drakes are normally not that aggressive with each other, so I'm wondering if you have Muscovies? 

I've only had to cull one drake for starting a fight and drawing blood and I've plenty of drakes of various ages. I do keep a bachelor pen all summer to keep them calmer. I keep extra drakes to have options when I breed and in case something happens to one in a breed I want to breed on. It is hard to get another drake in a less popular breed (I still don't have an Ancona drake, still looking!). I didn't find a Welsh Harlequin drake until after I lost my last female, of course! I have a drake, but he had a penile prolapse and isn't fertile... of course he's a pet from the first group of ducks we got years ago.  

I have to smile at people separating breeding pens, our winter hasn't even started yet! I have all my ducks together at the moment and there's no fighting going on. Mostly, when its breeding season, they'll just over breed the girls, so I take most of them out to relieve the pressure. It'll be at least Feb before I separate and most of my girls (being older) won't be laying yet anyway. I prefer to keep and breed older ducks that are healthy and vigorous. I'm hoping to set myself up for a long lived vigorous flock that way, besides, I get attached.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

You're right!. They're Muscovies.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

My muscoveys are getting ready for breeding season now.
So far one old drake is the boss but some of the younger ones are trying him.
The ducks should start laying soon.

If anyone needs some muscoveys let me know. They are free. I am in Ms.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Yup. Separating breeds next week. 2 months and I am certain that eggs are purebred. Eggs in Jan and Feb will be eaten. Hatching starts in March.

I know of cases where eggs were still fertile 6 weeks after there were no males. I am not taking any chances. 2 months of pure breeding before eggs get hatched at my place.

Otherwise, everything is going to be half Pekin. That Pekin drake thinks he is a studly dudley. He's a hard working guy. It's going to ruin his spring when he discovers he is penned with only 2 Pekin ducks.


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