Duck behaviour question: shaking heads and fast movements

[biscotti]

I'm wondering if any more experienced duck folk could tell me what these guys are doing?

This is a google drive link to the video (It wouldn't upload it here, sorry) [video link]

From my perspective it seems like they're anxious and frantically looking in multiple directions back and forth, but it's a behaviour I've not really seen them do to this extent... Is that all it is? Or some other type of behaviour/cause? They're all boys and going through mating season shenanigans, but this reads a lot different than that to me. I don't think its bug hunting either because there isn't much out yet with the cooler temps. Is it just them being spooked?

When I walk up closer to them they stop and look at me normally, but are still a little on edge. When I walk farther away they start doing it again, ect. I just noticed them doing it today.

They're in their coop now for the night and seemed better in there. They ate their dinner and treats pretty quickly too.

Thanks for checking this post out! It's been incredibly helpful getting people's opinions on here as a beginner duck keeper.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I'm wondering if any more experienced duck folk could tell me what these guys are doing?

This is a google drive link to the video (It wouldn't upload it here, sorry) [video link]

From my perspective it seems like they're anxious and frantically looking in multiple directions back and forth, but it's a behaviour I've not really seen them do to this extent... Is that all it is? Or some other type of behaviour/cause? They're all boys and going through mating season shenanigans, but this reads a lot different than that to me. I don't think its bug hunting either because there isn't much out yet with the cooler temps. Is it just them being spooked?

When I walk up closer to them they stop and look at me normally, but are still a little on edge. When I walk farther away they start doing it again, ect. I just noticed them doing it today.

They're in their coop now for the night and seemed better in there. They ate their dinner and treats pretty quickly too.

Thanks for checking this post out! It's been incredibly helpful getting people's opinions on here as a beginner duck keeper.

ok i requested access to the video and now waiting for an email letting me know if access is granted….

 

[biscotti]

ok i requested access to the video and now waiting for an email letting me know if access is granted….

Im so sorry I thought I had made the link public! I'll try to fix that right now. Thank you for letting me know

 

[KathiQuacks]

Everyone is facing the same way and doing the same thing, so I’d guess it’s environmental.

Could they be excited about something? My ducks will kind of do this when they’re excited and / or want something, like when they want to leave the coop in the morning.. There’s that one that crouches down at the beginning, like he’s ready to fly over the fence, and everyone is wagging their tail. Is there something enticing over where they’re facing?

It’s not a predator they’re seeing, if that helps

 

[biscotti]

Everyone is facing the same way and doing the same thing, so I’d guess it’s environmental.

Could they be excited about something? My ducks will kind of do this when they’re excited and / or want something, like when they want to leave the coop in the morning.. There’s that one that crouches down at the beginning, like he’s ready to fly over the fence, and everyone is wagging their tail. Is there something enticing over where they’re facing?

It’s not a predator they’re seeing, if that helps

Excited wasn't an emotion I had thought of! There wasn't anything out of the ordinary I could see, but I'll have to check out the area tomorrow and keep that in mind. They definitely aren't acting predator level scared.

We had a huge rain storm last night and the weather got colder and windy as the day progressed. Maybe something got blown around out of place or something... I'm glad to hear someone else guess it's an environmental thing and hopefully not a physical problem haha!

The two boys on the coop side of the fence were hanging closer to their coop than they normally would during the day. They don't like seperating from the other boys stuck on the other sides of the fence, so maybe I'll check that area out first in the morning. It might explain why they were staying still - stuck between wanting to check something out and not wanting to walk farther away from their brothers at the same time.

Thank you for your insight!

 

[Jenbirdee]

One of my runners does that when she is excited , like when she sees me coming across the yard.
It also looks as if they are shaking their cute little wet selves dry .