drake fight!

[Mom 2em All]

My two muscovy drakes got into a battle tonight- it was awful

I heard the neighbor dog barking through the fence- and looked out the window. My drakes were rolling-LITERALLY- both wings outstretched, with a bite-hold on each other. They had knocked over the fresh water pan, and were absolutely caked in mud. I watched for a few minutes, hoping one would surrender- but they just kept tumbling and burying each other in the mud.
I finally grabbed a broom and went outside and separated the two of them. They went around a dirt hill and started back up. I separated them again, and they both retreated in to their "separate corners".
Both look like mudballs. Both have broken feathers everywhere. Both seemed out of breath. (hard to tell with all the hissing).

Would they actually fight to the death? This is not good. Not good at all.
I have five hens. Both boys were from last summers hatch. My most favorite drake, and the other one has angel-wing. I sure would hate to decide that one needs to be rehomed. My yard is not such that I can keep them separated.
This was a terrible terrible fight. Both needed to be brought in and hosed off, but I am having surgery on my arm in the morning, and could not have caught either one or carried them in the house. I hope they dont get cold tonight. The coop is heated if they choose to go inside.

*it has been a few hours, and both are sleeping on hay bales in their enclosure. Not too far apart.

 

[dianaross77]

I've heard muscovy drakes can be quite brutal. I would imagine that their carnucles would be a great place to draw blood from. I don't think 5 girls is enough for those two. If they can kill a female by mating I would imagine they could kill eachother while fighting. Hopefully some muscovy people will chime in and tell you I'm wrong.

 

[the duck whisperer]

im not to sure about muscovys, But i did have a call drake that died fighting. But he was a quite sick so he had the lower hand. It wouldnt shock me if drakes would fight to the death but its not very common( ive only had it happen once) i would suggest either seperating them, get more females or even sell one if the fighting continues. Best of luck, but hopefully im wrong.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Breeding season ... let the fighting begin.

I have 3 Scovy drakes, the oldest est. himself as the lead drake some time ago BUT the other two began fighting it out for breeding postion a few weeks back. This is typical and depending on the drakes usually is more of what you experienced w/dirt and broken feathers. I do horn in and break it up if it gets too rough but they will keep fighting until ONE becomes head drake.
Once they est. that tensions will ease. It doesn't help that one of the two boys, Odin, has 1 girl that has paired up w/him and Dutch doesn't.

I have a Sheltie, Abby, who takes Scovy fights seriously, be it the girls fussing or boys tusseling, and usually hears and gets their WAAAAY ahead of me,

and has taken it upon herself to "break them up." She's has begun taking her job seriously & will forgo hunting if she thinks the Scovies need watching & kept in line.

She always has my back and keeping Scovies has become an easier job for me w/her helping out.
I'm quite proud of her.

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

My muscovy drakes will fight until one realizes he is losing and makes a break for it and runs away. Usually with the winner chasing him.

They have never done serious injury to each other. The only time I was really worried was last spring after a winter of very little activity, a young drake took on an older drake. That poor older, fatter drake was totally winded at the end. Yes he ran away, as best he could, and I saw him quite some distance from the young drake looking like he could hardly breath or move. The interesting thing over time was, the fights continued in the following days and the older drake kept getting stronger, lasting longer and finally won his place back again.

I have seen the weaker drake do some interesting maneuvers to avoid or get out of fights with a dominate drake. And some of those young drakes when they get older and stronger will take on the challenge and win. They do seem to know their own limits, usually. One fight was looking like the younger drake was losing. Really struggling to hold his place in the fight. Just as I was about to break it up, he got his footing better and in a blink of an eye, the older drake was running away with the younger one chasing and then coming back to the watching hens all puffed up - the victor.

Muscovy drake fights seem to be a physical power and endurance thing, not how bloody they can make the other drake, like roosters do. I don't remember ever seeing blood on either drake after a fight. And, unless there is a big size difference, or one is really weak, I would doubt that the life of either drake is at risk either. Now, things around them might be at risk with them knocking things over, etc.

 

[Mom 2em All]

These two big boys are the same age- not siblings but they dont know that, only a couple months apart. They are also the same size. One has severe angel wing though. The angel-wing drake has his own favorite hen that stays right by his side at all times. The other one has his pick of the other four. I think there are two hens that stick with him for the most part. He hasnt quite figured out the mating behavior- usually ends up standing on his girls backwards..

But he is my most favorite. Even named him Baby.
He is the better looking of the two from my standpoint- but he would be the one I would have to rehome. After all, who wants a scovy with bad angel-wing? *sigh*
I hope they can figure it out and not kill one another. That was a BAD fight. If it continues happening, I will be forced to rehome one. If it had been a fight in the pond, Im sure one would have drowned.