I never before realized how rough mating is on duck hens. My 2 little 4-5 Runner hens were being brutalized by my +/- 15 pound Rouen males (drakes) even harder than the Rouen hens. Well, yesterday I went out to find my African brown gander and his 2 goose hens had one of my wee runners in a corner just pecking the hell out of her. I immediately put a stop to that then set about with a permanent solution.
Their enclosure is in an "L" shape some 15' x 50' along one leg and 15' x 40' along the other. Being a good Redneck I have spare fencing wire on hand at most times.
One of my Rouen hens is setting on a clutch of eggs in their shed which is located in the point where the 2 legs meet so I wanted to give her that area.
I first cut the yard in about half separating the geese from the ducks. The I split the duck yard in twain giving the Runners an area all their own. The fencing I used was a mere 2.5' as opposed to the 3' used in the rest of the project and I soon found that under duress Rouens can achieve flight altitude of 2' 7" for a short distance.
Ergo I now have my 2 runner hens in a +/- 15' x 15' w/ a small lean to type cover, 4' diameter kiddie wading pool. In a similarly sized area w/ the shed I have 1.1 Rouen (1.1 means 1 male. 1 female) and in the main yard I have 1.2 geese and 2.0 Rouen.
I'm seriously considering putting 2 Rouen drakes up for sale or swap and trying to find at least a couple more hens. All of the chicks I've seen at the co-op are either White Pekin or Blue Cayuga.
I'm not so much now concerned w/ breed as much as I am sex. Except perhaps Muscovy ducks... Damn! but they are butt-uglier than a mud fence people been throwing toads frogs at!
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