In need of duck copulation clarification

[Brianawashere]

Hi,
I recently saw a video of Mallard ducks forcing themselves on a hen. It must have been 12 males on her. I never knew male ducks did this. And when I saw the comments people claimed this was normal behavior and suggested it was nature. And they only mate this way. One person even claimed female Mallards are unwilling to mate at all.
The video was so disturbing that I began to research further. I found out that Mallards form paired bonds and the unpaired males attack unprotected hens.
This act is not considerably useful. Considering the females often have already laid their eggs and have ducklings with them during these 'forced copulations'.
My question is if I see this common act should I intervene or just walk away. Is this normal? Will this kill the female?
I read that the females often escape but end up dying due to the distress and/or injury or disease. I also read in the duck population each year of female Mallards is declining due to many elements but one is forced copulation.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Are you asking about your own ducks or wild ducks? I would leave wild ducks alone. Your own need management so that situation doesn't happen. Domestic ducks don't generally follow the same instincts that wild ducks do. The urge to mate is strong, especially in the drake. They will even mate with chickens if they can.

I had ducks many years ago and knew nothing about it. My poor hens were mated too often, enough that their heads ended up damaged and they became blind from the scaring. I am much smarter now, and I regret not getting rid of some of the drakes in hindsight. My muscovy now have only one drake, that's enough.

 

[Brianawashere]

Oh okay thanks for the reply. No I don't have any domestic ducks. I was just curious about the brutality and fatality of the duck population.
At many parks I'm noticing a lot of Drake's and no females. Or dead females around the summer. They are wild ducks but I wasn't sure if someone should help the hens or just watch and let them die.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It could be the females are sitting on nests, and that's why there are only males.

 

[Brianawashere]

Oh no I've seen wild male Mallards kill the hens on land mainly but some claim they can drown in the water but I've never seen it. Most of the time it's a hen trying to escape and people watching. And ends up dead.

People who don't know anything about ducks say to just let it be. It's normal. I decided to go to people who have ducks and know ducks better than us common people.

 

[The Moonshiner]

It is very true with domestic ducks for sure.
idk about wild ducks but I'm sure they're doing the same things they have done since the beginning of their time so I don't see it causing concern now.

 

[Brianawashere]

I think it's more common among wild ducks in human populations. I researched that in the wild it happens less.
I just wanted to know what I should do when I see this happening. I witnessed three dead hens from this 'forced copulation' but if people here say leave the ducks alone I will.
Thanks for the response.
I know nothing about ducks really.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It would be very hard for me to sit or stand and watch drakes attacking a duck and ending up killing her with out intervening. I would probably end up walking up and trying to chase the drakes away. Maybe not the best thing to do since they are wild ducks and will probably start up again somewhere else. But just to stand by and watch I don't think I could. Drakes of any breed will over mate and even kill female ducks we emphasize that a lot on here to be careful to make sure to keep ratio of drake to females in right proportion.

 

[Brianawashere]

Oh okay, so I should try to intervene. People said not to but I will then. I don't want the hen to die especially if she has ducklings with her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

All I am saying is it would very hard for me not to try and break it up by just scaring them away . You have to decide what you would want to do. I don't believe I could stand by and watch drakes kill a duck. So the only intervening I would be doing is trying to scare them enough to get their attention off the duck so she can make an escape.