Any ideas on this new behavior?

[BickeringToast]

You have only drakes right? I am thinking he is wooing you, I have a drake that we raised from a day old because his mama didn't want him, so he became my baby, well until he was around 4-5 months old then he became impossible, when I would turn my back he would jump on me or if I was even sitting down with him he would jump me, I was beside myself on what to do none of my other drakes had ever acted like this, some even said I should kill him, But I couldn't do that but I did have to get tough with him and discourage his behavior with me, It took a couple of months of me picking him up and holding him on his back or laying him flat out on the ground like another drake would do to him when being dominant. we even went and got him 3 ducks of his own but he still wanted me as part of his harem. But I am happy to say he is now almost 2 yrs old and just the greatest drake still likes to hang out and be petted, but doesn't try his head shaking sneaking up on me stuff anymore. He still likes to eat out of my hand too. Spoiled rotten brat. lol

Miss Lydia, I am so glad you responded!

I told my husband that I think Niles has been hitting on me-hubby said "nah, he is just being friendly" I asked him how he will feel when I get molested out there in Duckatraz by that little felon!?! Hubby didn't seem too concerned

So far Niles has not progressed beyond just the neck rub up my arm and then the run/fast waddle away. He's pretty cute even though he is a bossy little criminal.

I'll have to see if Niles wooing gets any more intense in the next few weeks. If he puts my virtue (I'm sure I have some somewhere) in jeopardy he will have to deal with the ultimate punishment....I will roll the yellow hen-toy at him (they are all TERRIFIED of that little yellow hen-toy that dispenses treats).

BTW: I THINK the entire 4-pack is Drakes, but until that little drake feather shows up or someone shoots out an egg I am not positive

 

[ducklucky]

I can't tell you how excited I was to see this post on Nile's behaviour. My Pekin drake, Lucky, started this stuff a few days ago. He has a harem of 4, and is very, shall we say, active with them all. They are all about a year old. Lucky, however, was alone with me for the first week of life, and he imprinted. He has always been super affectionate with me, in a nice way.


Now that it is barefoot season, I never wear shoes if I can help it and a few days ago he started attacking my feet. First thought it was my toenail polish, but it is the palest of pinks and can't tell it's even there. But he has gotten more and more aggressive toward me, he will actually charge my feet and nip, and it hurts! 2 days ago he actually took a pretty good size chunk out of my big toe! Sucker bled for hours. Was so shocked at the time did not discipline him. Yesterday he charged my feet again and I had on muckers and he was some POed about that! He kept attacking my feet and wouldn't even let me walk, had to kick him out of the way to escape.

Normally all day he doesn't do this, but he always has his eye on me. This usually happens when I am closing them in at night an in their pen. He's quite a big boy and I guess I will have to discipline him, but I don't want him coming after my face. Any ideas? The girls don't behave this way, and I know it's not a protection thing, they all trust me enough.

Bad ducks, what's going on??? Full moon is about over!!!

 

[cosbackyard]

From my (admittedly limited) experience this is common drake behavior. Give Miss Lydia's advice a shot. I never bothered to train that out of my last drake, but I'm pretty hands-off with them so it never bothered me. Of course, a 200 pound man having a duck trying to mount him is... awkward at best. I may work with my new boy to prevent that this time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Miss Lydia, I am so glad you responded!

I told my husband that I think Niles has been hitting on me-hubby said "nah, he is just being friendly" I asked him how he will feel when I get molested out there in Duckatraz by that little felon!?! Hubby didn't seem too concerned

So far Niles has not progressed beyond just the neck rub up my arm and then the run/fast waddle away. He's pretty cute even though he is a bossy little criminal.

I'll have to see if Niles wooing gets any more intense in the next few weeks. If he puts my virtue (I'm sure I have some somewhere) in jeopardy he will have to deal with the ultimate punishment....I will roll the yellow hen-toy at him (they are all TERRIFIED of that little yellow hen-toy that dispenses treats).

BTW: I THINK the entire 4-pack is Drakes, but until that little drake feather shows up or someone shoots out an egg I am not positive

The lil hen toy? oh my why weren't you on here 2 years ago. I'll sure keep that in the back of my head if it ever happens again. That's too cute.

 

[BickeringToast]

The lil hen toy? oh my why weren't you on here 2 years ago. I'll sure keep that in the back of my head if it ever happens again. That's too cute.

I was so disappointed when the 4-pack was scared of that hen toy but it's value has been restored in the last week. Last week I 'made' a fake cobblestone area next to their house. Even though I should be well versed by now in feathered felon shennanigans, I was at a loss to keeping those nosy brats away from the stones for the rest of the day. I tried putting these leftover planks around the area and all 4 were trying to climb over them, knock them down, or just shove them out of their way. Heck, even when I was sitting on the little garden cushion in from of the stones those bossy brats **** near stampeded me to get a look at what was going on (they probably thought I was building something out of peas).

I finally found the answer....I put the little yellow hen toy/treat dispenser on the ground in front of the stones. Problem solved! They wouldn't go within 2 feet of the hen toy/ball of death 'protected zone'. In fact that night none of them would go into their house until I moved that yellow ball (it was at least 3 feet from the door but still in sight).

BTW Niles has not attempted to get fresh with me for the last 2 days. Yesterday he nibbled way too hard during a pea feeding frenzy and I said "HEY" very loud and he returned to the soft nibbles. Not that I think my luck with the leader of cell block quack will last....

 

[Sparrow]

My imprinted pet Pekin, Primrose, does the vibrating thing to me, too, and she is a female. Only with her, she like to creep up to me, vibrate her head, and then suddenly poke me with her beak and body slam me! Then, she wants to wrestle with her beak/ my hands. Yes, she loves to wrestle. xD It hurts because she acts like she's preening really hard when she wrestles and I end up with bruises/blood blisters afterward, but it's too funny and she enjoys it too much for me to stop allowing her to do it when the mood strikes. With her, it is generally just a play behavior without any other implications. Occasionally, if I am sitting down and she is feeling REALLY ornery, she will head vibrate/bob while facing me and going in a really tight circle all the way around me before she tackles me. It is weird but good for a laugh. xD

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was so disappointed when the 4-pack was scared of that hen toy but it's value has been restored in the last week. Last week I 'made' a fake cobblestone area next to their house. Even though I should be well versed by now in feathered felon shenanigans, I was at a loss to keeping those nosy brats away from the stones for the rest of the day. I tried putting these leftover planks around the area and all 4 were trying to climb over them, knock them down, or just shove them out of their way. Heck, even when I was sitting on the little garden cushion in from of the stones those bossy brats **** near stampeded me to get a look at what was going on (they probably thought I was building something out of peas).

I finally found the answer....I put the little yellow hen toy/treat dispenser on the ground in front of the stones. Problem solved! They wouldn't go within 2 feet of the hen toy/ball of death 'protected zone'. In fact that night none of them would go into their house until I moved that yellow ball (it was at least 3 feet from the door but still in sight).

BTW Niles has not attempted to get fresh with me for the last 2 days. Yesterday he nibbled way too hard during a pea feeding frenzy and I said "HEY" very loud and he returned to the soft nibbles. Not that I think my luck with the leader of cell block quack will last....

You always make me laugh out loud. Thank you. them boys and their shenanigans. I am going to get one of those balls. or 2 or 3 .

 

[ducklucky]

Think I may have taught Lucky a lesson, but still...the other day we were out in the yard, the girls were in the pool and as I was walking toward them,
Lucky jumped out and came charging at me. Raised and flapped my arms and yelled and ran toward him, he took one confused look and high tailed it the other way. Last night when closing them in, he started coming at me and I did the same thing, they couldn't scurry back in their door fast enough and it was a traffic pile up to get away from me. Hate to frighten the girls this way, but they stick to him like glue, so they're just going to have to deal with it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Think I may have taught Lucky a lesson, but still...the other day we were out in the yard, the girls were in the pool and as I was walking toward them,
Lucky jumped out and came charging at me. Raised and flapped my arms and yelled and ran toward him, he took one confused look and high tailed it the other way. Last night when closing them in, he started coming at me and I did the same thing, they couldn't scurry back in their door fast enough and it was a traffic pile up to get away from me. Hate to frighten the girls this way, but they stick to him like glue, so they're just going to have to deal with it.

We really need cameras set up to get videos of these times. I bet that was worth some laughs. Glad to hear it's working!