Aggressive muscovies

[JHDucks]

Hi there,

We have a flock of 15 different female ducks, 2 are muscovies. For the past couple of weeks, both muscovies have been very aggressive to the other ducks. They've been chasing them, pinning them down, pulling out their feathers.

The ducks have been together for a year and a half and have always gotten along, except when Daisy, one of the muscovies, went broody. She would run at the other ducks, and maybe pluck a feather, but nothing like how they're acting now. Does anyone have any thoughts on why they would suddenly be so mean?

 

[ruthhope]

Something has upset the muscovy. Is she molting?

My muscovy get very moody when they are molting and often hide away on their own as they can get bullied by the others. They also bite me when molting but not at other times. Ducks seem to settle old scores with a moody flock mate and top of the pecking order can get bumped down several notches. One of my muscovy spent months earlier this year, either staying in the duckhouse all day, or coming out but going and hiding behind the shed on top of the compost pile. He was being bullied by a pekin that was only half his weight. . At night, he always slept on top of the dogcrate that is the bedquarters of the pekin. Then, suddenly, he stopped ostracising himself and is back down sleeping on the floor of the duckhouse with the other muscovy, and is nonger being picked on by the pekin.. They all get back to normal relations with eachother and me in the fullness of time

Unless one of your ducks gets injured -- blood flowing -- i would not worry, although I might put the hose on the duck that is bullying if I see it happening.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Are they both female? Female muscovies are very moody whether they are broody, molting, or the wind blows the wrong way. They are usually the bosses of the flocks (ducks, chickens, or whatever else they can boss). This is normal flock behavior. But, I'd keep an eye on them to make sure it's not overboard (as long as there's no blood or injuries involved). I had a chicken that couldn't escape their run (she jumped over, but couldn't get back to her own pen), she had a lot of feathers pulled. Otherwise, she was OK.
Muscovy are also very territorial. But, again this is normal behavior. Mine co-exist with runner ducks and none get overly picked on. But, the runners know their place - they go yell at my roosters to get their aggression out.

 

[JHDucks]

Something has upset the muscovy. Is she molting?

My muscovy get very moody when they are molting and often hide away on their own as they can get bullied by the others. They also bite me when molting but not at other times. Ducks seem to settle old scores with a moody flock mate and top of the pecking order can get bumped down several notches. One of my muscovy spent months earlier this year, either staying in the duckhouse all day, or coming out but going and hiding behind the shed on top of the compost pile. He was being bullied by a pekin that was only half his weight. . At night, he always slept on top of the dogcrate that is the bedquarters of the pekin. Then, suddenly, he stopped ostracising himself and is back down sleeping on the floor of the duckhouse with the other muscovy, and is nonger being picked on by the pekin.. They all get back to normal relations with eachother and me in the fullness of time

Unless one of your ducks gets injured -- blood flowing -- i would not worry, although I might put the hose on the duck that is bullying if I see it happening.

Thanks for the feedback. We just went out because it was very loud out back and the muscovy was on top of our pekin, pulling out her feathers and holding her down. The pekin is the friendliest of the bunch. We'll give it a little while and hopefully she stops. Her feathers do look a little rough, so maybe she is molting and irritable?

 

[JHDucks]

Our flock are all females.

 

[ruthhope]

Thanks for the feedback. We just went out because it was very loud out back and the muscovy was on top of our pekin, pulling out her feathers and holding her down. The pekin is the friendliest of the bunch. We'll give it a little while and hopefully she stops. Her feathers do look a little rough, so maybe she is molting and irritable?

If it becomes too aggressive, separate the bully by making a partition in the run and a partition or a dog crate in the duck house for her to sleep in. I have provided a dog crate for my Pekin so that he doesn't get bullied by my several muscovy while in the coop. If it's just one that is bullying, best to jail the bully not the victim!