Agressive ducks!

bargainaddict

Hi, wasn't quite sure where to put this question, but we have call ducks in our garden. We had 10 ducklings born on 6th June this year. We lost 3 in various circumstances and the adult male started to peck the babies, one in particular. We woke one morning to find he had pulled all the feathers of its wing and made it very sore.

We separated them for most of the time and we are in the process of selling the babies. 2 went yesterday to live with a nice family. They have e-mailed today to say their 2 (6 weeks old, been with them 2 weeks) are pecking the 2 they got from us yesterday.

Are there any duck people here who can tell me what advice to give her. They have separated the 2 sets of ducks. They are all quite tame and will eat from your hands.

Thanks in advance
x

twink

until someone comes along this might help if you joined you could put a question in the forum http://www.countryfayre.co.uk

bargainaddict

Thanks twink, have done that

homersimpson_3

or this http://www.callducks.net/breeders.htm. other breeders may have experienced same problem. networking etc. contact rspb?

bargainaddict

No reply from countryfayre as yet. Have tried callducks.net before but will try again. Thanks

twink

i see on google there is a call duck assoc with a helpline numbers you can phone and e mail for help, worth a look maybe http://www.callducks.net

bargainaddict

Thanks twink, I've been on that web site loads of times and never noticed they had a help line.

I had a reply earlier from a breeder who thinks I may need to get rid of the male.

janeawej

maybe you just need to seperate the male when ducklings are about it sounds to me like he is trying to show his superiority to them, i have had male ducks do this to weaker ducks it seems to be a 'pecking order' thing but horrid for you to see

bargainaddict

thanks janeawej, he had 2 of them pinned against a fence today. The mums don't intervene. In the day we can let them loose in the garden but we are worried about them at night. We got an old pen he goes in at night but he is getting lonely. I've had no replies from any of the duck forums I have been on. Do you reckon he will get over this phase as more of the ducklings go?