[Kathie]

Merry Christmas everyone,
Haven't posted for a while but really need some advice.  We have 3 call ducks and a drake, they are 7 months old, since yesterday the drake has been biting the neck of one of them  and she seems very distressed when he attacks her.  He leaves the other two alone, can anyone suggest why he may be picking on just one and is there anything we can do to stop it other than put him in duck prison or find him a new home please

Thanks in advance

[Springlands]

Merry Christmas Kathie - I am not an expert as we have only had our ducks for a short while but it sounds as if your drake is trying to made with the duck. Our drake bites the neck of the ducks when they are mating in the paddling pool.

[Kathie]

Thanks for your reply Springlands, we thought he was trying to mate yesterday, but he isn't trying to tread her, it looks like he is trying to drown her.  He even chases her on land and bites at her body but on the pond it is her neck he bites and seems to be trying to get her under the water.  The duck is keeping her distance and he isn't doing it to the other two. We have put him in a pen so that she can have some peace and to stop her being distressed.

[joyfull]

I agree he is trying to mate her - sadly many ducks do get drowned in this process 

[Kathie]

Hi Joyfull, I honestly don't think he is trying to mate with her, but it does seem that he wants her dead.  It's been a horrible day so he is in his pen for a while, but thank you :happy:

[min200]

Its definetly mating.  It looks horrendus with ducks but is just nature.

Theres nothing to do but get rid of the drake if you dont like the look of it but he will take an interest in the rest of your girls as well soon enough.

[Kate and her Ducks]

It's mating and some drakes do have a favourite! My drake decided last year that he was in love with one of the seven girls and she got more than a little fed up with him.

Ducks  can be drowned during mating (and play mating with other females - my very uncaring OH took great pleasure in coming up with inappropriate tabloid headlines for when that happened to one of mine), so if he is being a pain I would recommend making sure that the pond is kept shallow so there is less danger of this.

Having more girls so the drake doesn't run them ragged can help but doesn't help if he has a favourite, domestic ducks don't usually put much store by monogamy!