Da' Cute and Cuddly Call Duck thread!

[Ravynscroft]

Maybe she could time it when you need to get up so that you can toss your alarm clock.  Even though it probably wakes you up, it is kinda cute.

Nah, it doesn't wake me up... got used to it, lol...

Yeah! She does it during the day as well, just long, loud alarm quacks for no reason at all. But when she began doing it at night I was like "uhhhh...is my Beanie okay?" That's what she does! Just stands there going "MAAHP..MAAHP...MAAHP...MAAHP!"

I'm thinking it's part of the puberty/hormone changes in the girls... kinda like the boys getting the quivers and trying to mate call when they hit the 'teenage phase', lol... Crash isn't doing it yet, but she's younger... oh, and Lady Grey does the diagonal head bob at Burn too, so Bean isn't the only one...

Yup! Hehe sorry, that's just my term for it. Standing on one leg = kickstand, sleeping with feet and head tucked in = loaf, when they lie with one foot splayed behind them = lollipop, and both feet = bear rug.

Those are cute and very apt, lol... I just call them 1 legged ducks when they do the kickstand...

 

[Amykins]

Lady Grey does the diagonal head bob at Burn too, so Bean isn't the only one...

WHY DO THEY DO THAT?? I've never seen any duck head-bob horizontally! Such weird birbs.

 

[Amiga]

The diagonal head bob with chatter seems to have a few nuanced meanings for the Runners. Often done when a flock member returns from a brief absence. It seems to affirm something positive, though it sounds like scolding. I get diagonal head bobs from time to time. It's like an intense, "nice to see you."

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Do any of your call hens ever just quack for no reason, especially at night? Bean's been randomly making loud yelping quacks at random intervals. Last night she was kickstanding, sleeping on one leg and was just...quacking. Her eyes were still closed and everything. Is she in pain? Or is this just something that female calls do?

Ours do, but I don't think it's for no reason, just for no reason I know. Drakes do it as well but you don't notice it as much because it's not as ear-piercing as a female Call. They can barely hear my voice and they start, and sometimes I can tell they heard something and they start. Just wait until you have multiple females, which I'm guessing you will at some point. Once one of them starts quacking, the rest very quickly join in.

 

[Amykins]

Ours do, but I don't think it's for no reason, just for no reason I know. Drakes do it as well but you don't notice it as much because it's not as ear-piercing as a female Call. They can barely hear my voice and they start, and sometimes I can tell they heard something and they start. Just wait until you have multiple females, which I'm guessing you will at some point. Once one of them starts quacking, the rest very quickly join in.

there's no rhyme or reason to it! This morning she just wouldn't stop, she was bolted straight up and making alarm quacks. But there's nothing remotely scary anywhere near her. No airplanes going overhead, no bugs on the wall, nothing. I think she just likes the sound of her own ear-piercing voice.

 

[Amiga]

A few of my Runners do that sometimes. I reckon there is something going on, just nothing I can detect. And it's true, once one starts the alarm call, there arises an echo from the flock.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

there's no rhyme or reason to it! This morning she just wouldn't stop, she was bolted straight up and making alarm quacks. But there's nothing remotely scary anywhere near her. No airplanes going overhead, no bugs on the wall, nothing. I think she just likes the sound of her own ear-piercing voice.

You never know. They notice things we don't notice, just like dogs do. She might even be wanting to communicate with Wobbles. When we had Galen and Noelle, a bonded pair that kept to themselves, I used to watch them have conversations when I wasn't nearby and they didn't know I was watching them from the door. I always imagined they were discussing what to do next, and Noelle always seemed to win.

 

[duckmeister]

Rats! Counting white calls this morning and come up one short! My slip winged drake from Holderread's is missing, no body parts or piles of feathers anywhere, so can only surmise it was an owl. Going to have to put some netting over the top of the pen it looks like. Don't have time to do it today, have to haul a horse from central CA to NorCal. Hope I don't lose one tonight. I hate owls! This is the first one i've ever lost from inside the pen. Always figured only an owl or hawk could get in, looks like one finally did. He may have been slip winged, but he was my favorite!

 

[Julie Birb]

Nah, it doesn't wake me up... got used to it, lol...
I'm thinking it's part of the puberty/hormone changes in the girls... kinda like the boys getting the quivers and trying to mate call when they hit the 'teenage phase', lol... Crash isn't doing it yet, but she's younger... oh, and Lady Grey does the diagonal head bob at Burn too, so Bean isn't the only one...

Those are cute and very apt, lol... I just call them 1 legged ducks when they do the kickstand...

That is cool she doesn't wake you. It would be fun to put a night cam on her and for Amykins to do the same thing to Bean to see what they are doing.

 

[Julie Birb]

Rats! Counting white calls this morning and come up one short! My slip winged drake from Holderread's is missing, no body parts or piles of feathers anywhere, so can only surmise it was an owl. Going to have to put some netting over the top of the pen it looks like. Don't have time to do it today, have to haul a horse from central CA to NorCal. Hope I don't lose one tonight. I hate owls! This is the first one i've ever lost from inside the pen. Always figured only an owl or hawk could get in, looks like one finally did. He may have been slip winged, but he was my favorite!

I remember pics of him. He is a cutie. I hope he turns up!! Let us know.