# Why would a duck attack a chicken? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246 "2016-08-09T14:43:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/1 "2016-08-09T14:43:28Z")
Right now I have four ducks and 25 chickens. One of the ducks, a Kahki Campbell named Chowder, has made it his life mission to harass my 2 year old Easter Egger hen named Gretchen. This behavior just started several days ago and only happens in the morning. Right now they are separated, but I’d like to know why its happening. They free range on 5 acres, have plenty of food and water, the flock dynamic as been the same for several months, so I have no clue why this is happening. The other three ducks, all boys, ignore the chickens. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/2 "2016-08-09T14:46:23Z")
To prevent him from getting to the other side. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/3 "2016-08-09T15:16:00Z")
He’s horny and trying to mate with her: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlDnRz3CX6g) (duck trying to mate with a chicken) I’d be having duck soup because he won’t stop and could kill your chicken (stress, infection from being plucked, size difference could break legs etc). ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/4 "2016-08-09T15:23:50Z")
It’s probably just fowl play. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/5 "2016-08-09T15:53:52Z")
> [@I.Dunno](#): > > It’s probably just fowl play. Just a poultry little disagreement. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/6 "2016-08-09T15:58:14Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > He’s horny and trying to mate with her: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlDnRz3CX6g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlDnRz3CX6g) (duck trying to mate with a chicken) > > I’d be having duck soup because he won’t stop and could kill your chicken (stress, infection from being plucked, size difference could break legs etc). ^This. Male ducks are horny little buggers and will attempt to mate with anything that looks even remotely like a duck. Add in the fact that all of your ducks are male and its a recipe for disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/7 "2016-08-09T18:03:10Z")
This struck me as one of the funniest thread titles in Dope history :D:D:D \*But I am sorry you’re experiencing fowl-on-fowl violence. It must be eggshausting to monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/8 "2016-08-09T18:15:13Z")
From what I’ve seen, birds in general are jerks. Or as Sylvester once put it, “Birds are thhhtricktly for the birds!” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/9 "2016-08-09T18:49:43Z")
Ducks are just foul creatures. A friend when I was in grade school had a pet duck, the plain white kind. That SOB was mean as hell, territorial, just unpleasant to be around. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/10 "2016-08-09T18:49:58Z")
OK, I give up. Vhy a duck? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/11 "2016-08-09T18:49:58Z")
> [@I.Dunno](#): > > It’s probably just fowl play. This quacked me up. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/12 "2016-08-09T18:52:58Z")
Chowder’s just jealous that Gretchen can make an echo. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/13 "2016-08-09T19:16:51Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > ^This. Male ducks are horny little buggers and will attempt to mate with anything that looks even remotely like a duck. > > Add in the fact that all of your ducks are male and its a recipe for disaster. Well, Casanova Quacker is going to a new home tomorrow, so Gretchen will be able to relax. > [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > Ducks are just foul creatures. A friend when I was in grade school had a pet duck, the plain white kind. That SOB was mean as hell, territorial, just unpleasant to be around. Luckily my plain white one is a the nicest of the four. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Chowder’s just jealous that Gretchen can make an echo. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/14 "2016-08-09T19:29:18Z")
There’s been a lot of resentment ever since that narrow escape from the cleaver in Peking. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/15 "2016-08-09T19:36:58Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > Well, Casanova Quacker is going to a new home tomorrow, so Gretchen will be able to relax. Is it a roasting pan? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/16 "2016-08-09T20:56:50Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > From what I’ve seen, birds in general are jerks. No kidding. [Ducks beat up mama duck while her babies get eaten](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfLpcennXE0) Also, [True facts about the duck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k01DIVDJlY) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/17 "2016-08-09T21:18:23Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Chowder’s just jealous that Gretchen can make an echo. There’s an easy solution to that. Change his name to Chowderderder. And if that doesn’t work, change his _job title_ to Chowder… ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/18 "2016-08-09T21:26:20Z")
> [@](#): > > From what I’ve seen, birds in general are jerks. Nasty velociraptors. They are aggressive and seem to have no empathy at all. I had one rooster who would try to rape anything with feathers-male or female, any species-and often caused physical damage in the process. He made good soup. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/19 "2016-08-09T22:18:37Z")
[It’s not just ducks…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=33909) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246/20 "2016-08-09T22:31:11Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > Right now I have four ducks and 25 chickens. > > One of the ducks, a Kahki Campbell named Chowder, has made it his life mission to harass my 2 year old Easter Egger hen named Gretchen. > > This behavior just started several days ago and only happens in the morning. Right now they are separated, but I’d like to know why its happening. > > They free range on 5 acres, have plenty of food and water, the flock dynamic as been the same for several months, so I have no clue why this is happening. > > The other three ducks, all boys, ignore the chickens. That was a completely duck move. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-duck-attack-a-chicken/762246.md?page=2)