behavior in female ducks...

[chickensducks&agoose]

I have six ducks, most are 4 months old, one is 1 1/2, and first thing when I let them out, they all hop all over each other, apparently trying to breed each other... is this some sort of instinct? Evidence of sexual preference? particular to my ducks alone? I don't have any boy ducks, maybe it's ducks gone wild...

**edited title**

 

[LoreenH]

Too funny! Actually it's their way of figuring out who's more dominant, it has nothing to do with mating.

 

[DuckLady]

Ducks don't behave on sexual preference.

They might bond with another duck however it is not because of the gender of the mate.

Mating behavior is either to procreate or to establish the pecking order.

 

[TK Poultry]

ya ull definatly tell the difference and if you have a pool out for them they will do most of the mating in that hens are like the WORST on biting at each other and stepping on each other and make a rucus you can here from a while away.......and the drakes will display and puff up there heads at other drakes and make all kinds of sound they will also bite at others heads to show dominance!

 

[L0rraine]

It's so bizarre that you just posted this. Mine are about the same age and this morning, my 3 four month old females were 'play acting?' similarly in the pool. The smallest kind of just floated around while the other two nibbled at her neck and climbed over the top of her - then they would all jump out, run around, jump back in and do the same thing all over again. I had never seen my older females do this.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

YES! That is it exactly! They climb all over each other, then run around like giggling idiots, and then do it again!

 

[willkatdawson]

"giggling idiots!!!" That's way too funny

 

[Kev]

Wild ducks have a high libido. Their reproductive systems actually are quite bizarre due to this fact. Will leave it at that but if interested.. do a google on their reproductive anatomy.

Domestic can have even higher libido, especially the production breeds(production strain Pekins are very notorious..).

So it is simply a combination of this way high libido with no male present so they are all trying to mate... very clumsily.

No dominance involved. Just plain straight up "runaway libido".

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I hope you don't mind me hi-jacking chickensd&g.
I have 5 ducks (all different breeds) that are 5 mos. old. We know for sure that 4 are females (four eggs in one day). The 5th one we don't know if it is a he or she. If she is a 'she' and she is playing the dominant role, will she make contact with the duck beneath her?? We only see her getting on top of one duck, never the others. They do make contact too (you know what I mean

)We also think one out of the four eggs are fertile. So, we think she is a 'he'. So, I'm asking,,,,, if a female will touch (down there,

or not) ?
We are hoping that she is a he because we have a black banty duck that has gone broody and setting on eggs that may or may not be fertile.

 

[L0rraine]

Quote:
Not sure exactly why I think it's so funny but I can't stop chuckling at your post. Cuz you obviously know what we're seeing and pointed out the bare facts in the most delicate way.