Drake problems

[shannonkcarlson]

I have only four female anacona ducks and a single male Rouen duck. I am concerned about if I can separate my male as long as it can still chatter with the females and see them during mating season. Any thoughts or tips?

 

[ruthhope]

What problems have you had? Your ratio should be ok

 

[shannonkcarlson]

What problems have you had? Your ratio should be ok

So I’m trying not to get any fertilized eggs unfortunately. At least not this first season.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Yes he will be fine.

 

[KathiQuacks]

So I’m trying not to get any fertilized eggs unfortunately. At least not this first season.

Are you concerned about babies?? If so, you can just take away the eggs after they’re laid, and there will be no babies.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

I have only four female anacona ducks and a single male Rouen duck. I am concerned about if I can separate my male as long as it can still chatter with the females and see them during mating season. Any thoughts or tips?

With such a ratio : if the hens are not hurt by the drake, I would NOT bother separating them.

Indeed : poor boy would feel uselessly agitated, and even the girls might then be stressed out by the separation...

So I’m trying not to get any fertilized eggs unfortunately. At least not this first season.

What is the issue, exactly?

You do know fertilized or not, the eggs are still edible.... right?
(Honest question, since I have already given ducks away to people that did not know that...
...given there are not a lot of informative books about ducks, where I live...)

Are you concerned about babies?? If so, you can just take away the eggs after they’re laid, and there will be no babies.

Exactly!

And I would add that, if duck hens want to sit on eggs, they will (go broody) - whatever if the eggs are fertilized or not.

(...Still... I do NOT know if Ancona ducks make good broody hens...?)

 

[shannonkcarlson]

Are you concerned about babies?? If so, you can just take away the eggs after they’re laid, and there will be no babies.

They are fertilized before laying and I’m concerned that the shelf life of the eggs might be different.

 

[KathiQuacks]

They are fertilized before laying and I’m concerned that the shelf life of the eggs might be different.

I haven’t had any issue with shelf life, personally. Stored at room temperature, they last ~2 weeks, and in the fridge, they last much, much longer.

Truly the only main difference between fertile and non-fertile is that fertile can be incubated. Otherwise, they pretty much look and function the same.