Drake is attacking younger ducks

[flynntheduck]

My 21 week mallard drake attacks my 11 week runner/kc mixes every time they are around each other. One minute he seems fine and the next he is mean. They are cooped separately and I frequently let them forage together with supervision. I need to get them to get along because I am rehoming my drakes soon and can't until they get along. Help please! This is a nightmare. I have a buff girl that is 21 weeks and my younger ones are 2 boys and a girl 11 weeks old. The youngers are bigger than my mallard but he doesn't seem to care. He also attacks my 11 week old chicken (just discovered is a roo) my 21 week barred rock hens attack the roo too. I feel like I need 3 coops to keep everyone happy! Right now I have 2 coops with all 21 weekers in one and all 11 weekers in the other. Problem is that they are mixed flocks chickens and ducks in each coop. Ugh. Please I need advice!

 

[Frank Phinster]

When ducks don't like each other, it is hard to make them. How long have you been keeping the younger ones? Maybe the mallard drake needs more time to get used to them. I had a case where a runner drake would chase a duck around and peck at her for several weeks before he got used to her and left her alone.

And some drakes are just agressive and subdue their flockmates.

 

[flynntheduck]

I have had them all since they were a day old. I have been socializing them for about 3 weeks. Today I put all the ducks together and they were allllll fine. No grabbing or pulling of feathers at all. I attempted to put them all in the same pen and the drama started. I put my big drake on time out in a crate in the coop for a bit to calm him down. About 30 minutes later I let him out and he attacked again. So back to separate coops. My barred rock hen is mean to my roo and ripped feathers out of him right in front of me. I'm at a loss as to what to do. I have 3 male ducks that are supposed to go to their new home TOGETHER but I can't do that if they fight. Should I separate the boys and just let them duke it out? (I dont want to do that and have someone get hurt but I just dont know what to do.)

 

[flynntheduck]

Any advice? I need them to get along so I can rehome them together.

 

[Frank Phinster]

I must admit that I don't know whether there is some kind of trick to make them get along. All I can say from my nine years of experience, that only time and seperatation can help to improve relations. And some drakes are just aggressive and only calm down during moulting season.

 

[flynntheduck]

Well they are all fine together when they are out roaming free but as soon as I put one in his pen he freaks out and attacks. I'm guessing because that is his territory but sheesh I need them to get over it for a bit! I'm starting to wish I hadn't clipped his wings back so he would just fly off. I'm really irritated with him and I'm not keeping him anyway.

 

[Frank Phinster]

Territorial issues might be the reason. If your mallard drake stays peaceful during free ranging and only acts out in his pen, then he might just try to stand his ground and see the others as intruders. In that case, there is a chance that he will be peaceful in a new environment and even feel dependent on his flockmates.