When do ducks mate?

[chickenlisa]

I have blue swedes, black phase blue swedes and cayugas all mixed together. 8 total. I know for sure 3 are drakes (they have the curly feather) and I saw in the Spring the oldest one (Buddy) mating the oldest female (Holly.) (I got 2 blue swedes as 2 yr olds first) But I have no idea for sure about the others as I never see anyone mating anymore. They love to eat, swim and sleep.Granted, I don't spend as much time just sitting there watching them as I did when they were brand new and the young ones were tiny and cute,but I am out there feeding, changing pool water, and cleaning out the pen and shelter. When do ducks mate? or is it whenever the mood strikes?
Perplexed in NJ,
Lisa

 

[bantymum]

Hi, Mine mate as soon as I change their water, she puts her head down flat and waits for him.
I sit out the back at night having a smoke and they also mate then as well. Always in the pond!

 

[chickengirlnm]

I have noticed that mine mate when ever the mood strikes. Normally right after I clean the pool but I have noticed them mating in the middle of the yard right in front of everyone !!! ( nasty little buggers )
but with the weather getting colder here I am not sure if they will stop or not ( hopefully stop ) because my girl is loud when they are ummm you know LOL
have not gotten any eggs or babies yet hopefully this spring

 

[chickenlisa]

OH I've been getting eggs from them-my Holly stopped for a few months there when it was really hot, but she started up a month or so ago, and then I noticed a smaller white duck egg with hers for a few weeks, then a few days ago noticed a blackish gray egg with those. That's one of my Cayugas and I think the only girl of that breed. I think I've got 1 Cayuga girl and at least 2 Blue Swedish girls, maybe 1 black Swedish girl. If they are laying, are they breeding sometime then? Just when I'm not there to see? Maybe they are modest or shy.lol
Lisa

 

[GoodEgg]

LOL ... I'm late reading this thread, but ...

I think my one pair are probably black swedes (or a cross thereof) and the other pair are runners.

My runner drake mates whenever the mood strikes him which is ... oh ... about every 10 minutes or so!!!

Seriously ... when I let them out in the morning, when I change the (smaller) drinking water pool, when I move or fill the pool, when it rains, and pretty much off and on all day.

The swede drake is a lot less .... ummm ... active.

My poor ducks are getting bald spots on the backs of their heads.

I like to watch the runner drake though. When he is in the water and he wants to breed, he kinda dives upward and makes this weird whistling sound, and then dives down. The first time he did it, I thought he was choking or something, LOL. It sounds funny.

The swede duck laid every single day since she first started laying until today, she finally missed a day. The runner duck lays most days, but she has missed about half a dozen days or so.

I do hope they keep laying though. The chickens finally started, but I like having duck eggs too. Our 4 don't make any impression on the property really, so I think I'm going to give my DD her wish and let the swede brood if she wants to, and keep a few babies.

trish

 

[bantymum]

Yes Ducklings are the cutest little critters that Ive seen.
My mallard has 1 brood who have started to go to new homes last weekend and she already has a new nest going with more ducklings due in 3 weeks.
I have 4 ducklings left to sell, i sold 6 for $40 each. which is what I buy my ducks for, they are nearly feathered out and 3/4 size of the adults.

 

[chickenlisa]

Thanks guys- I still haven't seen any sign of mating. I think I have 4 males and 4 females. I get 4 eggs every morning. There are 2 male Cayugas and 2 black Swedish males. Then 1 Cayuga female and 2 Blue Swedish females and 1 black Swedish female. Then I recently got my 4 Mandarins-2 males and 2 females. They are Juveniles, so i don't think they're into all that stuff yet... Seriously, they aren't laying eggs yet either.
So I'll just have to camp out there and watch more-the 6 younger ducks are about 6 months old now. Is that adult enough for mating? I don't even see the 2 adults do it though. They did when I first got them, but I see nothing of that now.
Well,...I just hope they do enough to fertilize eggs for in the Spring when I'd love to let them set on the eggs and hatch some baby ducklings. Other than that, I don't need to see them do anything.
Lisa

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
So glad to hear this........my drake attacks in pond only.....thought for sure he would drown the poor girls.......a duck's version of skinny dipping I guess........glad I am not a duck !