Author Topic: Ducks - mixing breeds (Read 2876 times)

colliewobbles · « **on:** April 05, 2013, 03:49:11 pm »

Hi all - we have 2 runners (male and female bonded pair) and 6 call ducks (3 females and 3 males) together in a large ranging area along with our chickens. The call ducks seem to be in two threesomes - 2 quiet girls with one quiet male and one feisty girl with 2 males.

The feisty girl seems to be highly desirable amongst all the males. Yesterday when I was there the male runner was trying to mate with her in the pond whilst one of the call males tried to fight him off. It got so horrible that I actually intervened as I thought she was going to drown. However, she didn't try to get away when I separated them but just hung around!

My hubby says they will all be fine but I am worried she is going to be hurt. Would love your thoughts - am I being too 'fluffy' about things or should I be a little worried?

Ta - Donna

goosepimple · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2013, 05:55:02 pm »

Drakes can drown the females in mating but it does sound like this is likely to go on, particularly at this time of year. Don't see it as a problem that's going to solve itself in other words, so you should make a decision.

I'd either get some female runners at an auction or somewhere, or get rid of your runner drakes. Ducks are great fun, you don't want to be stressed by their fighting and end up with injured ducks.

Good luck!

colliewobbles · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2013, 09:33:09 pm »

We have only got 2 runners, a male and female who are a bonded pair. We won't get rid of either of them as they were a gift from my husband's son. Do you think we should make them their own area until mating season has passed?

Donna

ballingall · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2013, 11:08:36 am »

I would really consider separating them. The trouble is the runner drake weighs a good amount more than the female call, so he could hurt her or drown her.

We had runners and calls, and they are both some of my favourite breeds of ducks, but ours did have separate runs to live in. The only exception was when thanks to the fox we ended up with only 1 female call and 1 female Muscovy, they lived together, and absolutely loved each other. But of course two females were fine. If you only had female runners I would say leave them all in together.

Beth

goosepimple · « **Reply #4 on:** April 06, 2013, 08:54:59 pm »

Yes, agree with ballingall, maybe best to split, you may risk losing your female call and they are very cute.

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2013, 10:12:12 pm »

We had some traumatic experiences. My favourite - a half call - had to be put down because of a mating attempt by a runner went badly wrong. She had lost her eyes. I would not keep smaller breeds with the large again, now all of my ducks are about the same size although different or mixed breeds.

AndrewMBaines · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2013, 10:32:37 am »

We have one remaining Call Duck - randy so and so. Had a very strange looking cross a few years back.
Have 5 eggs in the incubator at the moment, hoping that they're all Runners - he has settled down recently!

colliewobbles · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2013, 10:38:40 am »

I think they have settled down a bit - I have found out a bit more of the history of the call ducks so might explain some of the 'issues'.

The trio (2 girls, 1 boy) were bought as a bonded trio. The single boy originally had a mate but she died so the owner went along to a sale to buy him another girlfriend. At the sale she was only allowed to buy a pair which she bought - thereby causing the original male to be a bit of an outcast.

So, I guess that explains why he is trying his luck with all the girlies and causing the unsettlement between all the ducks.

Would it be worth me trying to find him a single girlie and them separating them as a pair for a while? Or might that just complicate things further?
Donna