Help with aggressive ducks

[Jenthecanadian]

So, the short version is I need help integrating my two new muscovies with my three runners.

We’ve had four runners (2 male, 2 female) for about four years now. We’ve been trying to get more females for ages, but we live in a small area and no one is breeding runners. Honestly the four got along well, so it wasn’t too urgent. Unfortunately one of our girls was killed by a raccoon, so the search for more females got desperate. I ended up finding someone with muscovies, and we decided to get two. Here’s the issue - the runners have all gotten aggressive, including the remaining new female. She’ll chase them away. The boys will gang up and jump on the back of one of the females, to the point where one has started limping. I know they’re trying to mate, but they’re very rough.

To deal with it, we’ve separated them. They have separate runs, and at night time we close one group in the duck house, and the others in the caged in area. This can’t continue forever though - during the winter they’ll all need to stay warm in the house.

What can we do? I’m hoping that come fall the males will calm down a bit. I was toying with letting one of the males in the Muscovy run for a bit, just so he can spend time with the girls, but I don’t know if that will work. Open to suggestions!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I would try putting just your female in with them first. She shouldn't be as aggressive without the drakes. Then, after a few days, I would give the drakes short, supervised visits, one at a time. As we get closer to winter the drakes hormones will fade and they should be better with them. No guarentees though. Ducks tend to be rough on new comers. I got two new females in March which were added to my one drake and three other females. One of the new girls is loved by my drake, the other he chases and rapes whenever he gets the chance. He is still only getting a few hours a day with the girls. Soon I hope he will calm down enough to be with them all the time. At least until his hormones go back up in the spring.

 

[Jenthecanadian]

Ok, thank you! I think I will also put the girls together at night. It might help them get along.