new drake in all drake flock

[DucksandGoats]

If he and the jumbo pekin are sitting each side of a barrier, I would be tempted to try the two together with close supervision initially. If there is no serious pecking order behavior, your jumbo will be a good ally to stop aggression from the others. If that doesn't work out, then go to your plan B with the least aggressive Swedish!

I love the names and nicknames

My current pekin is Louie [I previously had until I rehomed Huey and Dewy] but he is also known as the terror or terrorist as he picks on my white Muscovy who is twice is size. He literally runs into the coup when the muscovy is on his roost and so is well above the pekin's head, and Louie starts reaching up , yak yakking away, trying to bite the muscovy. I don't know why the muscovy puts up with it as he asserts himself with my other two muscovy drakes, but he is intimidated by the pekin. Every day I have the muscovy dashing along the garden with a pekin chasing him, and inevitably the other two muscovy following on as they can't miss a good fight! Yours seem so much nicer, @DucksandGoats[/USER
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Haha omg Louie! I would say Poke (the more aggressive Swede) is my Louie, and I’m sort of fearful he will be a forever terrorist to Petunio. When I first brought them home, he was constantly going after Pines, my Jumbo Pekin, until finally Pines put him in his place. Now no one messes with Pines. He’s the leader, but also the peace keeper - and he is super friendly because he was raised by my friend’s 3 year old. He has my heart. Peek is my other Swede, the horn ball. Nicknames include Peeky, Peek the Freak, and Freaky Peeky.

Peek will run after Poke to mate, sometimes Poke turns it on him and gets him, but they’re always chasing each other and Pines is always running behind because he also can’t miss a good fight or tries to break it up. Either or. Love these crazy ducks!

I’ll try Pines with him and see how he does. How much pecking order behavior should I expect before stepping in?

 

[ruthhope]

I’ll try Pines with him and see how he does. How much pecking order behavior should I expect before stepping in?

There will likely be side swipes biting as they pass eachother. There may be chasing: I stay with the chase as that can end with one drake standing on the other to exert dominance. Standing is OK in my book as dominance demonstrated generally reduces pecking order behavior. But when one drake stands on the other and then starts pecking at its head: that is not acceptable. I stop behavior that can hurt or injure another drake. Depending on the specific situation, I might pull off the dominant duck or I might put a hose on him. I prefer the latter but don't often have the hose in my hand at the right time

Two of my current boys, [Daffy who I hand raised as a rescue from probably 2 days old and O Pato, one of the stinkers, who has been with Daffy from when they were both 6 or 8 weeks old] had serious fights in the spring when they were 8-10 month juveniles. They flew at each other claws first. I was alarmed and used the hose. It was only that very first spring. I blamed O Pato who was seriously psychotic in his behavior with me that spring, but it takes two to fly at each other claws first! Anyway, they "grew out of" that behavior and O Pato stopped his psychotic attacks on me [fortunately: I was seriously worried about him]. But both these boys were rescued as young ducklings and had a traumatic time before coming to me. So that may well have influenced their early behavior. If I had claw first fights again, I would again use a hose. I doubt that yours will behave that way, but just in case -- have water readily available.

 

[DucksandGoats]

Oh wow! Ok. I’ll look out for that behavior and try Pines with him tomorrow or Monday. I want to have the time to dedicate to staying outside with them to watch out for all of this. Thank you Ruth!!!

There will likely be side swipes biting as they pass eachother. There may be chasing: I stay with the chase as that can end with one drake standing on the other to exert dominance. Standing is OK in my book as dominance demonstrated generally reduces pecking order behavior. But when one drake stands on the other and then starts pecking at its head: that is not acceptable. I stop behavior that can hurt or injure another drake. Depending on the specific situation, I might pull off the dominant duck or I might put a hose on him. I prefer the latter but don't often have the hose in my hand at the right time

Two of my current boys, [Daffy who I hand raised as a rescue from probably 2 days old and O Pato, one of the stinkers, who has been with Daffy from when they were both 6 or 8 weeks old] had serious fights in the spring when they were 8-10 month juveniles. They flew at each other claws first. I was alarmed and used the hose. It was only that very first spring. I blamed O Pato who was seriously psychotic in his behavior with me that spring, but it takes two to fly at each other claws first! Anyway, they "grew out of" that behavior and O Pato stopped his psychotic attacks on me [fortunately: I was seriously worried about him]. But both these boys were rescued as young ducklings and had a traumatic time before coming to me. So that may well have influenced their early behavior. If I had claw first fights again, I would again use a hose. I doubt that yours will behave that way, but just in case -- have water readily available.

Oh wow! Ok, I’ll try him with one of them tomorrow or Monday so that I have the time to dedicate to watching out for this behavior. Thanks so much Ruth!!!