Duck behavior

[Mtnboomer]

Hello again! I just finished a 30' x 8' flight pen for my young chicks to play in before they are big enough to free range with the rest of our flock. They share the enclosure with our 4 ducks.
The ducks (2 pekin, 1 cayuga and 1 kaki camble) are approx. 3mos old. Today I noticed the KC swimming in the pond with her neck outstretched and head low on the water. This immediately caused the pekings to seem to try to push her head under the water and then chase each other around the pen.
I assume that this is some type of courtship display? Aren't they too young to be starting this? None of the ducks have the curled tail feather, bht does this indicate that the pekins are drakes?
Thanks as always!

 

[Dees ducks]

Hi,
Although new to ducks myself I had this exact same fright when my 2 female ducks 4-6 months old started doing this to each other in the pond. First one would lay flat and the other would then mount it and grab it by its neck pushing her head under the water and then theyd swap. No harm was ever done and when I contacted the breeder who I bought them from in the UK (hes an expert) he said its their homones going a bit crazy and them trying to establish a pecking order of sorts.
There is always lots of wiggling of tail feathers after and splashing and bobbing of heads so they seem very happy.
Hope this helps a little.....

 

[Mtnboomer]

It wasn't so much a "fright" as it was a curiosity. I have always been fascinated by animals and their behavior. I am learning as I go with these ducks but it is fun!
The KC is by far the smallest of the 4. You mentioned a sort of pecking order. I wonder if she was being submissive to the larger birds who wanted the pool for themselves?

 

[FluffTheDuck]

This is them mating. Males are very harsh and new duck owners are often surprised but as long as you have 2+ females you will be fine. Usually, when they start mating, eggs come soon after that.

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Hi,
Although new to ducks myself I had this exact same fright when my 2 female ducks 4-6 months old started doing this to each other in the pond. First one would lay flat and the other would then mount it and grab it by its neck pushing her head under the water and then theyd swap. No harm was ever done and when I contacted the breeder who I bought them from in the UK (hes an expert) he said its their homones going a bit crazy and them trying to establish a pecking order of sorts.
There is always lots of wiggling of tail feathers after and splashing and bobbing of heads so they seem very happy.
Hope this helps a little.....

This doesn’t seem like a bullying thing like you said. It is mating. The female stretches out her neck on the water and lays flat. This is flirting for females and males take it correctly and mount them. They grab onto their head for support to balance. I don’t know why your breeder told you that it’s a pecking order— unless there are obvious wounds, I would NOT call that bullying. After they mate they go “splash splash wag wag” and stuff like you described.

 

[FluffTheDuck]

There is always lots of wiggling of tail feathers after and splashing and bobbing of heads so they seem very happy.

Yep! They groom themselves usually after mating and splashing to get feathers out and to play. Bobbing of heads can mean they are flirty and very happy! If you see lots of head bobbing you got a group of happy ducks on your hands!

 

[DuckyBabies]

Definitely signs of mating. Don’t be alarmed. Duck mating looks so brutal. I was worried the first time I saw mine mate. I thought my drake was just being aggressive. I promise it is all normal!

 

[Dees ducks]

This doesn’t seem like a bullying thing like you said. It is mating. The female stretches out her neck on the water and lays flat. This is flirting for females and males take it correctly and mount them. They grab onto their head for support to balance. I don’t know why your breeder told you that it’s a pecking order— unless there are obvious wounds, I would NOT call that bullying. After they mate they go “splash splash wag wag” and stuff like you described.

Hi, the reason my Breeder and I think it is more of a playing/pecking order thing with my 2 ducks in question is

This doesn’t seem like a bullying thing like you said. It is mating. The female stretches out her neck on the water and lays flat. This is flirting for females and males take it correctly and mount them. They grab onto their head for support to balance. I don’t know why your breeder told you that it’s a pecking order— unless there are obvious wounds, I would NOT call that bullying. After they mate they go “splash splash wag wag” and stuff like you described.

Hi, the reason my Breeder and I believe that it is more of a playing/pecking order thing with my ducks is because the two ducks in question are both females and when they did this behaviour to each other in the pond there were no males around at all! They are both definitely female as laying eggs and loud quacks......maybe they are a little bi which is ok with me as anything goes in this household

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Hi, the reason my Breeder and I think it is more of a playing/pecking order thing with my 2 ducks in question is

Hi, the reason my Breeder and I believe that it is more of a playing/pecking order thing with my ducks is because the two ducks in question are both females and when they did this behaviour to each other in the pond there were no males around at all! They are both definitely female as laying eggs and loud quacks......maybe they are a little bi which is ok with me as anything goes in this household

Ducks can change genders— the females stop laying, stop quacking, get colorful plumage and even fertilize eggs! That’s weird that two females would do it, so one of yours might become a male? It’s a possibility that it changed genders, though.

 

[chickens really]

Ducks are very sexual and hens do breed hens and Drakes breed hens. I sometimes have a Duck sandwich in my Kiddie pools..
Normal behaviour and not the Ducks turning into Drakes. That's another topic.