started to fight

GascoyneGuineas · **Joined:** Sat Jan 22, 2011 4:48 pm **Posts:** 36

I have 7 mallards and 12 muscovy ducks on our dam and recently they have started to fight with each other which is weird because I have had them all for 2 years now and they have always got along so well and up until this week I have never seen them fight. My question is what would trigger them to suddenly start to fight?

Roova · **Posted:** Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:50 am

It's hard to know without seeing your setup I think. Do you offer extra feed for them or do they only eat what they can get on the dam? If so, they could have picked the dam dry of anything nutritious and be fighting over the better area to find food.

More than likely its a breeding issue. How many males do you have compared to how many females? They won't necessarily stick to their own kind if there is a shortage of females.

Can you tell us a bit more about their living situation to get a better idea on what it might be?

GascoyneGuineas · **Joined:** Sat Jan 22, 2011 4:48 pm **Posts:** 36

The dam is approx 35 feet long and 25 feet wide I have one small shed that has their food to keep it dry and some boxes in it for them to lay eggs but they don't use them. I have 3 ducks and 4 drakes in the mallards and 5 muscovy ducks and 7 drake muscovy. I give them a chicken mash and well as some pellets every day and also a little lettuce and bread

Roova · **Posted:** Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:04 pm

Thanks

Next question is which ones are fighting? Males or females? Is it when they're on the dam or in the shed?

Generally the ratio is one drake for two or more ducks, three or more preferably. Males can be quite hard on females and it does sound like you don't have enough for all the males.

My personal suggestion would be to get rid of some of the males and bring the number down to one mallard drake and maybe two muscovy drakes.

I know its probably not what you wanted to hear, but if there's fighting there is also stress. Stress lowers a birds immune system which can lead to illness which you don't want.

GascoyneGuineas · **Joined:** Sat Jan 22, 2011 4:48 pm **Posts:** 36

It’s defiantly just the males that I have seen and they fight more on the banks of the dam they seem a little calmer when they are in the shed. I think you are right I may have to reduce the males but the only problem is convincing the kids its best

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