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I have seven ducks. Although I understand the whole mating ritual one of the larger duck is constantly picking at one of the smaller ducks and has plucked all of her feather off her neck and is now reaching the head. She looks so pityful and actually looks like its affecting her. I notice how she is always alone and just shys away from the other a lot. What can I do from stopping the other duck from doing this? I've thought of placing tobasco sauce on the back of her neck but I'm afraid it would sting her and I don't even know if they can taste anything. Right now I have him in the cage so she can play a little while and she seems to be at peace now but I can't have him in the cage all the time. My husband and I put some gauze around her neck but that freaked out all the ducks and she was left alone again. Please tell me what I should do? Thanks.

Submitted: 413 days and 15 hours ago.

Category: Bird

Value: $9

Status: CLOSED

Age: <1; Female; Breed: Duck

Already Tried:
We've tried placing gauze around her neck and it freaks the other ducks out and they don't want to play with her. We placed her attacker in the cage but we can only do this for a short time as this is not fair on him either. I understand that this is nature and may be okay for them but attacking her every few seconds can't be normal and he does not do this to the other female ducks in the group. We have 4 boys and 3 girls and she's the only one that gets picked on. Already you can see a difference between her behavior and the others she is alone with a long line going up her neck and head and now shows the scales of her skin.

Posted by S. August Abbott, CAS 413 days and 11 hours ago.

Info Request

You're right about the tabasco not being effective and possibly harmful. Birds, unlike mammals, have no problem with capsaicin, the heat maker in peppers.

This is a difficult situation. Are the ducks all the same age?

What kind of environment are they in? How much space do they have? Is there a pond? Is it a fresh water pond or other?

What sort of feed are they on?

Have they been vaccinated?

413 days and 1 hours ago.

Reply

Good Morning:

All the ducks are the same age, we purchased them for easter, all babies. They live in one of our rooms off of the garage with lots of hay. During the day they spend most of their time in our large atrium that has a screened in roof overhead and we have placed a kiddie pool there for them which they love. They usually let us know when they want to go outside by quacking rather loudly and spend the rest of their time outside in the yard in a large fenced in area with a hose and small sprinkler on for them to play in water. For food we provide cracked corn and Layena from the feed store. This is what they recommended they feed on. I was told ducks do not need to be vaccinated unlike chickens. There areas are always clean and seem quite spoiled as we also spend time with them at night before they go to sleep holding them and giving them spinach. They look quite healthy. The only problem we have is with this one large pekin duck attacking the smaller brown one constantly.

412 days and 18 hours ago.

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I'm sorry, is someone going to e-mail me an answer? Please reply.

Posted by S. August Abbott, CAS 412 days and 16 hours ago.

Answer

I think we're in different time zones and I'm pretty sure there's been a delay in my being notified that you've responded to info requests.

You're doing a fine job with these ducks and they're very well cared for. In nature, as you know, sometimes there are unexplained behaviors that, when it comes right down to it, are nature's way of culling the small, weak, ill or otherwise less genetically sound of the species. Being a 'runt' isn't desireable with ducks or any other animals.

Most of the time when we see behavior like this it's because of territorial issues that can be resolved by giving them more space and more swimming room. Though it sounds like you're doing well in that aspect, it might help this little one if even more room was provided.

The gauze and other attempts to heal her, as you've found out, really don't go over well. The best you can do is make sure there's no infections forming and let her heal on her own.

If you notice redness, swelling, oozing or heat felt from the area it would indicate an infection and you should have her seen. She'll likely require an antibiotic injection to start.

Again, you're doing very well. It's hard to fight the nature of the animal, but you have good instincts. Keep trusting yourself.

411 days and 1 hours ago.

Reply

How quickly can a bird learn? Everytime the pekin attacks the smaller duck I place him in time out away from the other ducks. Do you think he'll eventually understand why he's being pulled away from his friends everytime we catch him in the act?

Accepted Answer

What a bird learns is positives and negatives. For example, if we were in a bird's head: When I walk over here, I get good food. When I walk over here, I get removed from my flock and have to be alone.

It's difficult to hone the association to the specific action, mostly because you'd have to catch him in that action every time. If he gets away with it while you're not around, it would take a complex thought process to put together "When I attack my sister while the big bird (human) is around, I get removed from my flock and have to be alone".

This is not part of a duck's nature to work things out like this. Though very smart for a waterfowl, it's still more simple than complex.

Time, on the other hand, can change what time has made a 'habit'. He may be in a routine of nipping at his sister and the habit has imprinted. Every time he sees her, he has to do the same thing.

You can always try to break the habit.

Perhaps feed him separately for a week or two; keep the injured duck away from the majority of the flock until she's totally healed. Whatever works for you.

If you choose to separate her, try to include one of her flockmates to keep her company. Also let this flockmate continue to have time with the rest of them - so when you re release your injured girl back into her society, she's got an 'in'. She'll have a duck that is known by the rest that also knows this (by then) 'new girl'.

It's a lot of effort. Don't you wish you could just sit down with the big bully brother and explain how things need to be?

You're on the right track - I think you'll do fine

Accepts:
Expert:	S. August Abbott, CAS
Pos. Feedback:	99.6 %
Answered:	10/8/2008

Certified Avian Specialist

Cert. Avian Specialist; Int. Assoc.Animal Behavior Consult; Pet Ind. Joint Advisory Council; author

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How quickly can a bird learn? Everytime the pekin attacks the smaller duck I place him in time out away from the other ducks. Do you think he'll eventually understand why he's being pulled away from his friends everytime we catch him in the act?

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How quickly can a bird learn? Everytime the pekin attacks the smaller duck I place him in time out away from the other ducks. Do you think he'll eventually understand why he's being pulled away from his friends everytime we catch him in the act?

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