Among my various chickens, ducks and geese I have a Khaki Campbell drake with two Khaki Campbell females and one crested Blue Swedish female. They make up a little group that I call my adult flock (as opposed to the 16 Cayuga ducks that are adults now but I call my little flock).
Anyway, this a.m. I let everyone out to their various spaces and I noticed that the Khaki drake and the Blue Swedish duck were sort of really interested in getting back into their coop but could not since I had closed it to keep the chickens out (they are in a two stall barn with one stall used to store feed). I opened the gate into the run (I had not let the chickens out to free range yet) and in ran the Khaki drake and the Swedish female. They ran as fast as they could into the chicken coop since it was open. The female disappeared into a corner and the male stood at the door blocking it and chasing away any chickens that tried to get in.
I peaked in and the Swedish female was making a nest in one corner of the chicken coop. The Khaki male was guarding the door, not letting anyone in and pacing back and forth. Finally, the Swedish laid an egg, buried it in the straw on the floor. Walked around it to make sure it could not be seen and calmly walked up to the male, made some sort of soft quacking sounds and the two of them waddled out to the free range back with the two Khaki females.
This was interesting simply because of the males behavior. I have seen all the ducks lay eggs before and they even will just sort of drop an egg in the middle of the field if the mood strikes. But, this was the first time that it at least appeared the male was involved in, and concerned about, the process. I suspect she wants to nest and hatch once she has a nice clutch of eggs but I am trying to avoid it since our real winter in these parts is still a month or so away. His protective behavior and what seemed like concern about her certainly moved him up several notches in my opinion of him.
I have seen geese manifest this behavior before but this is the first time I have seen a duck do it.
Anyway, this a.m. I let everyone out to their various spaces and I noticed that the Khaki drake and the Blue Swedish duck were sort of really interested in getting back into their coop but could not since I had closed it to keep the chickens out (they are in a two stall barn with one stall used to store feed). I opened the gate into the run (I had not let the chickens out to free range yet) and in ran the Khaki drake and the Swedish female. They ran as fast as they could into the chicken coop since it was open. The female disappeared into a corner and the male stood at the door blocking it and chasing away any chickens that tried to get in.
I peaked in and the Swedish female was making a nest in one corner of the chicken coop. The Khaki male was guarding the door, not letting anyone in and pacing back and forth. Finally, the Swedish laid an egg, buried it in the straw on the floor. Walked around it to make sure it could not be seen and calmly walked up to the male, made some sort of soft quacking sounds and the two of them waddled out to the free range back with the two Khaki females.
This was interesting simply because of the males behavior. I have seen all the ducks lay eggs before and they even will just sort of drop an egg in the middle of the field if the mood strikes. But, this was the first time that it at least appeared the male was involved in, and concerned about, the process. I suspect she wants to nest and hatch once she has a nice clutch of eggs but I am trying to avoid it since our real winter in these parts is still a month or so away. His protective behavior and what seemed like concern about her certainly moved him up several notches in my opinion of him.
I have seen geese manifest this behavior before but this is the first time I have seen a duck do it.
