Out a breeder

[arctally]

I sent some of my ducks out to my mil place because the two adult females started laying again. I wanted the ducklings I just didn't have space for two batches at once. I sent the older ducklings (almost fully feathered) out to her farm an hour away to fatten up for butchering this fall. I also sent my breeder drake because he was penned by himself for being a duckling killer and was not too happy about being alone. I told mil all about how I had had to separate the drake after he drown one of the ducklings from the first batch and how I had nearly rung his neck when I caught him picking on a duckling. I guess she forgot because she put him in the same pen as a setting duck and when the ducklings hatched he killed two out of the four. She got mad and butchered him.
Now I need a new breeder. I'm a little upset because he was a proven drake (the other drake I got at the same time, from the same farm was a dud), not to mention he produced very beautiful, healthy ducklings. She says she'll replace him but she wants to go on craigs list and look for people giving away ducks. I don't want to seem ungrateful for her taking in my extra ducks so I'm reluctant to insist on being particular about the replacement drake but I really don't want to spend a laying season waiting for duds to hatch next year. I had hoped I was done with that this year and had my breeder stock all sorted out and ready to go to produce lots of meat and feathers next year! AAAARG!
Just venting mostly but if anyone lives in south western Idaho and has a proven drake they can spare (read sell fairly cheaply lol) I'd love to know about it!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

That sucks. I'm sure MIL is sorry and quite humbled. Wish you were closer to me. I'm in Louisiana. What breed of ducks do you have?

 

[Denim Deb]

So sorry you have to go thru this. And, I hear ya on having your breeding program set back. I've only now gotten to a place where I can try to breed my chickens.

 

[arctally]

I have a cayuga female and a blue swedish female. I was set to add a pekin, kahki campbell cross female. The drake was a gold star. They're all good medium sized ducks and they produced some really beautifully colored ducklings. Since I use the feathers for art as well as stuffing I was pretty stoked about the chocolate colored and the dark mottled ducks I got out of them. Not sure what I'm gonna look for now. I may just breed straight cayugas, they're so quiet. (maybe see what comes of a cayuga drake and the pekin/campbell female)