Does a Duck need another Duck to be Happy?

[MrsDolittleDuck]

do ducks need another duck to be happy? have a pekin duck wonder into my yard 6 days ago. She is doing very well. She follows me every where. She has everything she needs, but I am wondering if she need to be with another duck to be really happy? She seems to like my cat, and he the same of her. they are together quite oftern. Does having a cat as a friend make her happy or do they need another duck or two?
Appreciate all the info you may have.

 

[toadbriar]

They definitely need duck buddies, the companionship and social interaction seems to really enrich them, and the presence of other ducks seems to calm and relax them. Are you sure she's a girl? Another girl or two would be great for her. And the eggs are delicious.

 

[MrsDolittleDuck]

Thank you for the info. Yes Im sure she is a girl. I had a neighbor farmer look at her pic and he said she is a girl and told me if a male the back feathers would curl up and her's does not. she is really a cool duck. she follows me every where. didn't take her long to get attached to me. will she have eggs being by herself? will she get along with other girl ducks? I also saw that you are from Massachusetts. I moved to TN a year and a half ago from MA. I came from a city with just dogs and cats. now Im in TN where there is nothing but all different animals. I am in heaven. this is why I don't know anything about ducks. I just keep reading and searching about them and learning and learning some more. the Miss Daisy Duck wondered into my yard. This is how I got her. I think she fell from the sky. thanks for all your info. I appreciate it.

 

[toadbriar]

You really can't argue when a duck picks you out!

Your farmer is right about the tail feathers. But!! Mine are in the middle of molting right now, and only one guy is starting to grow his tail curls back. Double-check the voice - boys are raspy, whispery, and quieter (though they talk just as much) and girls are the only ones who actually quack. Here is a link with sound files to compare: http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm

Sex can matter because a boy and girl can work fine as a pair, but sometimes a male needs at least 3 females, or his lady companions can suffer injuries from overmating. They're equally wonderful as pets, though. The biggest concerns are keeping them safe from predators, and providing water without turning your coop or pen into a mud pit. They need water deep enough to wash their heads, to keep their eyes and nostrils clean. Otherwise they get eye infections etc. But ducks with water are like an unsupervised toddler with a 10 lb bag of sugar, in terms of both enthusiasm and potential mess. There are infinite ways to address this, and you'll find lots of ingenious solutions here in the forum, ranging from simple to complex. Myself, I'm lucky to have a pond and sandy soil with good drainage. I pen my birds at night, and they've got a 5 gallon bucket, and it's tall enough that they can get their heads in but not climb in. They still get it half empty by morning.

Do you like TN? It sounds like you're enjoying it! I'm northwest of Worcester in a wee little town. Love it here