Female Duck on Female Duck Dominance or Should I Worry?

[MisaF]

Hi duck folks!!

You may recall my posts about raising a singleton Indian Runner. Our little duckling turned out to be a female and once we were fairly certain we adopted an adult female duck to try to transition our single into a new duck life. I felt an adult in need of a good home would be the best way to get our duckling to start to learn how to actually BE a duck rather than a tiny quacking human.

We found a family that had a single adult Peking female who had lost both of her Indian Runner buddies (hit by cars). They desperately wanted to find her a home with another duck so we took her in. They two of them get along super well and now our singleton wants nothing to do with human things and has learned to play in the mud and chase after frogs and all kinds of fun duck things. We are super happy. It all worked out wonderfully!

Over the past few days we have noticed that the adult duck (Lily) has started mounting our singleton (Duckens). Now that I think more about it I am wondering if this is a sign that maybe Lily isn't a female? Lily also has a much more gruff sounding quack and is no where near as loud as Duckens. That said, she has no sign of a drake feather and it's only the mounting and different quack that make me wonder. She's about 2 years old so if she was a male I would see a drake feather, right?

I've read that females may mount females as a sign of dominance so that could be all it is. The even more interesting thing is that Duckens seems to submit to it. It usually happens when they are in one of their pools so I do worry Lily may accidentally drown Duckens since she is a good deal less meaty.

Anyone else see this behavior and end up finding out their she is actually a he? Do I need to worry that Lily may accidentally drown Duckens? If this is just a dominance thing will it eventually stop? It's happen at least 4 times that I've seen so far today and its not even noon yet.

As always, THANKS!!

Melissa

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

I had some ducks that used to mount each other, it was because the drakes they were with got taken by a fox. So their behavior changed, but now they are fine again.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Also if you could upload a pic of the duck it may help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We need some pics and a video of Lily talking.

 

[Blue Crow]

The mounting is normal girl behavior, my girls do it in the pool, a lot, I've stepped in a time or two when one of the bigger girls is playing a bit to rough with the smaller ones and shoed them off.

 

[MisaF]

Here's a photo of Duckens and Lily (Peking) soon after they met.

As for Lilly's sounds, she isn't very noisy so I don't have much in the way of videos of her. This one is from Sunday and it's her you can hear at the end.

Same with this video expect in this one Duckens is the loudest creature known to man.

Thanks!!

 

[CrystaBub]

We need some pics and a video of Lily talking.

Definitely a video would be the best way to sex by sound. I do however have a female Ancona who mounts my female Runner. I thought that it was a sign of dominance by the mounter - but the more I watch, I think it's a sign of dominance for the one mounted. My Runner begs and begs and begs and the Ancona finally gives in. I feel so ashamed saying that it's quite entertaining to watch

 

[CrystaBub]

Oh definitely female. Don't worry - they'll be fine. It's so good to see them getting along so well - you did good!!!!!

 

[PirateGirl]

Soooo... sometimes females mount females, normal, mine get especially excited and will do this when I refill the pool with fresh water. If you watch closely from behind and the duck on top is male, you will see the penis come out, you can't mistake it.

Sometimes a drake will not have his drake curl. Mine lost his during molt and has been without one for weeks now. Yes drakes will grow a tail curl, eventually, and have one much of the year, but not always.

 

[MisaF]

Oh definitely female. Don't worry - they'll be fine. It's so good to see them getting along so well - you did good!!!!!

I love those two weirdos so much and it's much easier now that Lily has taken over keeping an eye on Duckens. The first three days Duckens still screamed for us all the time then it slowly lessened and now she's all like, "Outta my way, I have duck things to do!"