5fathens Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 HI, we have 5 ducks was hoping that they were 2 boys and 3 girls but in the end they ended up as 4 boys and 1 girly. last year all was fine they grew happily together mated a bit when they came of age and our girly laid some eggs , this year however ( they are approaching 1) my poor little girly has now got a bald patch on her head where they all seem to fight over her I have (I hope rightly) put some savlon on it to help it not get so sore and possibly act as a repellent for the boys! she is laying at the moment but doesn't appear too broody I had hoped that perhaps she would hatch some little ones herself that might help but.... is there anything I should be doing to help her?? was it unwise to keep all the boys once we knew they were boys? would introducing more girls help? any advice would be greatly appreciated-thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Hi sorry to say this but you defo need to rehome some of those boys the poor girl will get run into the ground and to much attention from drakes is not very good come the height of the breeding season one boy will be fine you couldn't keep all 4 unless you wanted at least 4 girls to every drake and thats the min i would say i have one drake to 7 girls and he's frisky lol leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5fathens Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 thanks, I had a horrible feeling that might be the case, my son is going to be devastated:( I have popped her in a separate pen for the afternoon where she seems quite happy at the moment, poor little love she's so sweet, I guess it makes more sense to rehome our girly as she's the only one? or should we try and send her with a mate? would I really have to get another 12 girls to make things even? I know of 2 we might be able to have from the same family would that not work? any opinions and advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Trouble is Drakes are just sex pests come breeding season I wouldn't have one if I didn't need him lol worse case is a group of drakes can kill a female that's how bad they can become honestly I've been keeping and breeding ducks for 10 years and 4 boys are still to much for 3 girls.What about if you split them up into a pair and 3 boys also did you know they don't sleep at night so that poor girl is probably getting hassle all night when my boy gets to bad where I can hear my girls from in their house at night he gets put in what I call the rapist pen which is a dog crate inside the duck house so he can sleep with them but leave them alone sorry just trying to be truthful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 There are lots of wild ducks on the river where we fish in the summer, and in the early part of the season the poor females seem to have to spend all day every day hiding or fleeing to avoid being gang raped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5fathens Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 my girly has taken to hiding behind the hens to sleep (two of our older birds sleep in the bottom nesting box) that explains why poor little love. if I were able to swap two boys for two girls thereby having 3 girls and 2 boys would that help? sorry I know im asking a lot of questions, just trying to work out what our best option is. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 You could try it and if it doesn't work go down to one boy but I'm not sure if you will find anyone to swap girls for boys Drakes are as hard to rehome as cock birds no one seems to want them unless you have a colour for breeding what colours are they ? Don't worry about all the questions we all have to learn things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5fathens Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 thanks that makes sense, they are white call ducks. does it mean that if I were to keep just a boy and a girl together she'd be ok? if I split them into a 3 boy set and a boy girl pair would the drakes try and get at our girly if separated, or did you mean re home either the 3 boys or the boy and girl pair? now I know that ducks and hens don't seem too fussed about in family breeding but if girly did ever get broody and hatch some would they all be at it and so the ratio to boys and girls need to be the same again? as in lots of girls for 1 boy? I'm learning so much here it's really helpful thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 White call Ducks well unless you have no neighbours you wouldn't want lots of girls ear plugs at the ready but I think they might be good for rehoming it's up to you really what you want to do .If you want to keep a pair or who you want to rehome I would personally keep a pair and rehome 3 boys but their not my birds and yes if she was to hatch babies there's no way in knowing she may hatch you a load more boys then when they are mature would be a nightmare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5fathens Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 well we have been keeping them separate in the day as a pair and then the 3 boys, and at night our girly sleeps with the hens and the boys stay in the pen together as I tried the pair in and the boys out in the pen at night and they just kept chatting through the door-thought the hens might get the hump so that's how it seems to work, at least she is getting a complete break at night. the sad day for us but happy for our girly has arrived as we now have a new in the pipeline for the boys they should be fine as they're together right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Hi sorry did that say you are rehoming your boys they will be fine I know it's horrible rehoming pets but your girl will be so much happier are you keeping at least one boy ?leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5fathens Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Hi sorry did that say you are rehoming your boys they will be fine I know it's horrible rehoming pets but your girl will be so much happier are you keeping at least one boy ?leanne Hi thanks, yes we are keeping one of the boys who we've been pairing with her for the last week and they seem quite content together. she even has her faethers growing back already and is looking much happier too. thanks for all your help and advice, no doubt i'll be on here again with more questions as time goes on though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 That's good to hear she's looking better already and no problems with the help we all have to learn things leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
