Female Ducks Mounting Other Females?

[Hossdog]

So to set the scene, I have 2 Pekin ducks, 1 drake and 1 female duck.
I also have 2 Blue Swedish and 2 Silver Appleyards, all 4 female.
The 2 Blue Swedish and the 2 Appleyards are 146 days old, so ~5 months old. I have kept them close to, but separate from my drake who is ~9 months old, as they are not fully matured yet.

I have seen the 4 females mounting each other and "assuming the position" as female ducks do, they climb on and even bite onto the back of each other's necks and do some motions, but obviously nothing happens and a few seconds later they go back to whatever they were doing.

Is there a reason for this? Are they establishing a "pecking order" or dominance? They obviously see my 2 Pekins mating, are they just mimicking this? They do bob their heads up and down at my drake often through the fencing, not sure if they are just ready to mate?

Side question: I am aiming for the 1st of December to have them all sleep and stay together, as the young 4 will be ~6 months old and I will feel comfortable with it. Do I move this date up? Could they be sexually mature enough now?

Thank you!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I don’t think it’s mimicking, I had 2 pekin females who would do this before I ever got any drakes. I think it’s more of a “pecking order”/dominance thing like you said. As soon as we got drakes they stopped doing it and I haven’t seen the females do it since.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My girls do this with the drakes standing and watching. I'd say your girls are ready to be with your drake now that they are over 5 months old.

 

[Hossdog]

My girls do this with the drakes standing and watching. I'd say your girls are ready to be with your drake now that they are over 5 months old.

I am so glad you said this lol, I have been so patient waiting to put them together, it will be easier to manage them for sure! Thank you!

 

[ruthhope]

My son has 3 pekins -- a drake and 2 females -- that were together from "day old" ducklings. They are now 8 months old and very close -- no pecking order behavior, very sweet ducks. The drake is alpha male looking out for danger and standing back while the females eat first. The females have not "had a cross word" in their lives. The drake has been sexually active since July and both ducks have been laying from the end of July.
Two days ago, I witnessed a really odd happening that I have not seen before. The smallest female voluntarily flattened her back and the larger female mounted her -- holding the smaller by the neck. I had to look twice to be certain it was the second female and not the drake. Then the drake came along and climbed on top and tried to mate with the female on top -- holding her neck. -- they all tumbled over and went back to their other ducky activities.

Daft ducks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I bet that was a try-out for the circus.

 

[Luv Ducks]

I have watched videos of wild Mallard ducks doing the three is a pair trick. They all seem to want some of the action and must feel the more the merrier. lol