Standard Sized Ducks & Call Ducks

[MisaF]

Question for anyone who has standard sized ducks and call ducks. . . We rescued two Indian Runners, one had been hit by a car (there were three the other was killed by a car), long story of people who had no right having ducks on a busy road. The female runner who was hit by the car and survived is doing well thanks in part to a great vet and a spreadsheet I had to put together to manage all her meds (I'm a nerd).

The other runner, who was not hit, is a male. Currently, we have a peking and our own runner (both female) in with our calls and we have no problems. The rescued male runner (and his female who is rehabbing) are separated from the rest of our flock while the one heals and they both quarantine.

I am now frantically working to try to find a way to have a totally separate coop and run for the runners to keep the male away from our call ducks. Has anyone had male standard sized ducks with call ducks? This is a huge no-no, right? I would assume the male runner will attempt to mate with any duck, small or large, but this is my first standard sized male. So now, in total we will have three female standard ducks and one male standard duck and our call duck flock consists of one male and four females.

This is a logistical nightmare but these two runners needed rescue badly and I'm a sucker. I feel horribly that I didn't rescue them in time to save the one who was killed before I stepped in.

 

[casportpony]

@WVduckchick, @honanbm, @Isaac 0, @shawluvsbirds, @Pyxis, can you offer any advice?

 

[Isaac 0]

Could you post a few pictures of your setup?


I have and do keep a few male and female standard-sized ducks, with my Calls, with no general problems, I will say occasionally a big male will try to mate with a Female Call, but usually, the Calls will just fly away and not much harm is done. I also, don’t really recommend keeping Calls and Standard Sized Ducks to anyone for the following reasons, one, each setup is different, my birds have an unlimited space that they can roam on, for the most part, free-ranging birds you deal with less fighting, now if you keep your ducks in confined quarters where their near each other most of the day, the likely hood of them fighting is going to be much more significant.

Two, I’ve had so many drakes over the years, each one's personality is very different, the one’s I have now don’t really mate with the females so much, and to the contrary, I’ve had many drakes that were hormonal freaks that never left the females alone in the past.

My overall point is, there are several factors that are going to affect whether your drake will over mate with the female Calls or not. If he were a heavyweight breed, I’d immediately say no, but we are talking a Runner here which is technically a lightweight beed, just above bantam duck (Call). If you want to give it a try, try moving him in with the other ducks for a little bit, (Supervised) and see how he acts. It’s worth a shot, IMO.

Very sorry your questions didn’t get any answers sooner.

 

[Duckmom27]

@Isaac 0 do you ever have a problem with calls getting stepped on or anything like that? There are three call ducklings for sale near me and I've been contemplating it, but unless I build a separate coop they'd be in with my female Pekin once they're grown, and she's pretty hefty. Her preferred way of getting the other ducks out of her way is just to walk into them and then they move. During the day my ducks free range my quarter acre; at night they're in a 6x6' coop that's ~3ft tall. Long term my plan is to buy several acres and have several enclosures, and I definitely want a call flock then, just not sure if it would be ok to get a few now or if I should wait

 

[Isaac 0]

te coop they'd be in with my female Pekin once they're grown, and she's pretty hefty. Her preferred way of getting the other ducks out of her way is just to walk into them and then they move. During the day my ducks free range my quarter acre; at night they're in a 6x6' coop that's ~3ft tall. Long term my plan is to buy several acres and have s

No, I don't have any problems with the Calls getting trampled, but, like I said earlier their are lots of factors at play here, so I'm not so sure it'd work for you.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

@Isaac 0 do you ever have a problem with calls getting stepped on or anything like that? There are three call ducklings for sale near me and I've been contemplating it, but unless I build a separate coop they'd be in with my female Pekin once they're grown, and she's pretty hefty. Her preferred way of getting the other ducks out of her way is just to walk into them and then they move. During the day my ducks free range my quarter acre; at night they're in a 6x6' coop that's ~3ft tall. Long term my plan is to buy several acres and have several enclosures, and I definitely want a call flock then, just not sure if it would be ok to get a few now or if I should wait

I’m not sure if it would work for you but I happily house my call flock with my Pekins. I have 2 female jumbo Pekins with my seven call ducks. I have 4 drakes, and 3 female call ducks and 2 female Pekins. They all free range in my yard during the day. My yard is around 5 acres and I also have guineas that hang out with them. They all get along very well and when I leave I put them all in in a black chain link kennel together. They are all together in a house most nights and at other times and get along well. As @Isaac 0 said, it depends on many factors including the demeanor of the ducks. Funny enough my Pekins are actually afraid of the calls and run away. In my case the calls can definitely hold their own.