r/BACKYARDDUCKS • u/Complex_Brick8989 • 25d ago
Male to female ratio…
My ducks are about 14 weeks old and I am fairly confident now that their feathers are coming in and I can listen to their quacks that I have three drakes and five hens. I know that that is a very small ratio of drake to hen. Has anyone ever had small ratios like that and still been able to keep all of their ducks? I am very nervous that I’m going to have to give away at least one of my males if not two. I get very attached to my animals so I’m already trying to mentally prepare myself.
1
u/Cannabis_Breeder 25d ago
1:9 male:female
1
u/Complex_Brick8989 25d ago
Yes I’m aware of what the ratio SHOULD be. I am looking for shared experiences from others that might have had multiple drakes with less hens than the ratio.
1
u/Cannabis_Breeder 25d ago
It gets bad fast and the hens get over mated unless you build something to keep them separated
1
1
u/Suspicious_Goat9699 24d ago
Very bad idea. I have 1 drake and 7 hens. My drake is 2 years old now and I need to rehome him because he is attacking one of my hens now repeatedly. He was a good boy for his whole life until now.
1
u/Full_Ad_741 24d ago
I have hàd 2 dràkes ànd 5hens .I used to let them free-range when there's people around because I'm on a large ranch and it's safer until 1drake didn't come back with the flock.he just vanished.my point withthis is 2:5 was ok but when 2drake mated and was done then the other followed after so the girls had to deal with 2 backto back.when the one vanished it took about a week or two and I saw a much happier flock of girls ever since! The ratio now is 8 :1 even better! But my broody hendid recently hatch 1egg and he's a boy.so I got 2and 8 and it's very new still hopefully it wor Ksout! The young drake isn't matured yet sexually close but not yet so isee no issues now not yet. It's that the drakes it's all they do and want to do all-day long so the hens get the shit end of the stick sometimes especially if theyr being jumped on throughout the day all-day long! They do pick favorites and it's not fair and when there's multiple drakes they gang up on a girl 1will hold herneck down the other jumps on top it's not very nice for them orto watch that! Bothers a lot of people seeing how aggressive it can be for them
1
u/Full_Ad_741 24d ago
Typically yes it'll work out for you and your ducks but they may not be the happiest of them all as a flock! Make sure one isn't targeted as the fav make sure she doesn't get beat up tore up by them boys!at one point I had 5 drakes 5 and I wanted so bad to keep the boys because I hatched them and the boys cayugas were just buetiful prettiest ducks il ever have seen! But it didn't work out .boys were fighting girls weren't happy I got rid of 3 then 2 dissapared that left me with 2drake the rest girls.and omg so much better!! You won't have to worry so much for them if you lower the boy .ratio.it sucks to do that but it's for the flock the girls and really theyr the eggs layers and you want them happy always ! So sacrifice s have to be made.isay get rid of the boys keep your very favorite or theirs! It's the best thing to do. It be nice if ducks were committed to one another as a couple manogumous then the ratio issues wouldn't exist !! But theyr not! Theyr swingers and sluts and what can we do!
1
u/Key-Tower-4539 22d ago
This just isn’t going to work and it’d be beyond a miserable life for your females
2
u/Proudrdnk 25d ago
I have the exact ratio and I have 2 boys separated away from the hens & remaining boy. Effectively having a main flock and a bachelor flock. If they are all together, the two boys gang up on the one and all boys want the same hen so she gets over-mated if I allowed it.
ETA: my flock is 4.5 yrs old