To get a drake or not?

[Dace]

I am sorry to keep re-hashing and rethinking my stupid poultry/duck order...but you all are the only ones I know who relate to me.

So I ordered 6 chicks, 3 female ducklings and 1 drake duckling. Then I thought...why did I order him? Will he hassle the hens and become a pain? I thought he would be helpful in protecting the ducks, but I really hadn't planned on raising ducklings, although it would be fun and I could always sell off the babies I guess....I don't even know if campbells are the broody type.

So what do you think? Will he be worth keeping around or just create trouble? Am I over thinking this?

 

[patandchickens]

I've never kept ducks but have spent a goodly amount of time at places that did, and from what I have seen of their behavior I am extremely darn glad that I was not born a female duck.

Mind, I'm used to seeing multiple drakes all trying to breed some poor female all at once. It can get very ugly. (They are the only birds with penises, and seem intent on using 'em enough for the entire bird kingdom). Maybe just one drake is not so bad. She said optimistically.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Wifezilla]

Khaki's don't usually get broody. I like my drake and I do like the option of having hatching eggs. That being said, I now have a female with a leg injury that I am having to take special care of due to vigorous Springtime activities.
(Janet is Jack's favorite and I think she pulled a muscle.)

Jack never has to chase the girls because they shamelessly throw themselves at him. He also does watch out for hawks, make sure they don't wonder too far while free ranging, and keeps the cats and squirrels away.

There are pluses and minuses to owning a drake. If I kept him or not would depend on his personality. If I successfully hatch out the eggs in my brooder, I would keep the females, sell any males, and maybe sell Jack too and go for a while with no drake.

 

[Henrietta23]

I have two pairs of ducks, Blue Swedish and Khaki Campbells. The drakes are both very easy going and don't bother my chickens at all. The four of them pal around together all day. I love them and the drakes are so nice and quiet compared to their girls!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I don't know if you are still looking for opinions, but I think one drake would be fine. The problems come when you have too many drakes for your ducks. I think drakes are more socially interactive with humans than ducks (females) are, so I like having them around. Most of the year they are pretty mellow, but between now and early summer, they tend to have bad cases of spring fever. LOL

 

[Henrietta23]

I was just out with my birds now and I think I'm seeing some spring fever. It's odd though. My Khaki Campbell drake keeps chasing my Blue Swedish duck off. The two drakes and the Khaki Campbell duck hang out together and the poor BS duck looks so forlorn off by herself. The drake was being quite mean to her. I scooped him up and gave him a talking to. Hope it helps....

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I have a similar situation where my rouen drakes do NOT like my two runner ducks. The runner ducks are definitely the outcasts in our flock.

 

[Dace]

Well you all convinced me to keep the little guy as part of my order.

I am so excited, I should get my new peeps by next Friday. I just called my post office and warned them and now I am looking for something to use as a brooder. I plan to keep the chicks and ducklings together for at least the first week or 2 then, by everything I have read, I will probably need to separate them to minimize the mess. I am open to any feedback on that though!
Did I tell you how excited I am??

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yay! It is always fun to have the little ones around!

I've never brooded both ducklings and chicks, but if I did, I would probably just keep them separate. I'll be interested to hear how keeping them together until 2 weeks goes. I bet they will all get along together better for it, when you re-introduce them after brooding.

I hope your drake turns out to be a sweet one.