My duck likes to be held on its back?!

[pekin12ducks]

My new duck is a mallard. And when I hold it normally (like how you hold a dog or cat), it goes nuts to try and get away from you and outta your arms. But the second you flip it over and hold it on its back like a baby, it calms right down and would lay there in your arms for hours, if she could. Does anybody know why she does this!!!! Or do you have a duck that does the same thing?!?!

 

[rliepe]

calm calm, its totally normal! well, thats what i believe. Have you ever had a dog? well they do the same, its just showing that its more comfortable that way. you could say you have a lazy duckling on ur hands. As it gets older, it should grow out of the laying on the back. If it doesnt, then just keep letting it do whatever. they are pretty cute when they do that arent they? get back to me if they keep doing this!

 

[AceWeasel]

I've only had ducks for a little under two months, but I've had chickens before like that. chickens and some other birds (some individuals more than others) mellow out on their back. some don't especially like having that done to them (since it makes them feel a bit vulnerable I suspect), but some seem to like getting flipped on their back and held like that, at least when they're being handled by someone they trust. and pretty much each critter can have their own quirks in how they interact with people and/or other critters, some rather odd.

 

[Duck Drover]

It is a defense mechanism for birds. They think they are about to be eaten so they go into a state of shock rather than trying to get away. A predator will flip them over to get at their bellies in order to gut them so their brains respond as if they are about to die. They will learn that they will be freed after being held for awhile in order to lessen the shock but they will still naturally go into a mild state of shock because that is how their brains work.