Duck acting weird

[KikiDeAnime]

Our young Chocolate indian runner named Duchess has been acting weird for a couple days and I'm not sure why. She currently isn't doing it because she's with our young KC drake. She did do it in the morning.

What she's been doing:
-Moving her feet on the ground like she's scratching at it
-Using her bill to dig into the damp dirt
-Sits in the spot she was digging in and scratching at for a few minutes.
-Quietly quacks at the ground while laying her head down.

She does this for a few minutes before getting up and walking over to the water to drink. She only does this in the morning and afternoon. I think she's only done it 3-4 times a day.

Does anyone know why Duchess is doing this?

 

[DuckyDonna]

Nope, maybe you could video it?

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Nope, maybe you could video it?

Unable to because she's scared of me and whenever I try to get video of her, she runs away.

 

[jeepgirl13]

Is it possible shes doing this to cool off? My chickens scratch away the topsoil until they are in the cool, damp soil, and then they'll lay down in it. Especially on warm days

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Our young Chocolate indian runner named Duchess has been acting weird for a couple days and I'm not sure why. She currently isn't doing it because she's with our young KC drake. She did do it in the morning.

What she's been doing:
-Moving her feet on the ground like she's scratching at it
-Using her bill to dig into the damp dirt
-Sits in the spot she was digging in and scratching at for a few minutes.
-Quietly quacks at the ground while laying her head down.

She does this for a few minutes before getting up and walking over to the water to drink. She only does this in the morning and afternoon. I think she's only done it 3-4 times a day.

Does anyone know why Duchess is doing this?

Maybe she's digging up worms or bugs?

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Is it possible shes doing this to cool off? My chickens scratch away the topsoil until they are in the cool, damp soil, and then they'll lay down in it. Especially on warm days

That's what I thought but she also did it on a really cool day when it rained

 

[jeepgirl13]

That's what I thought but she also did it on a really cool day when it rained

I dont have a lot of experience. I'm sure others will have some kind of knowledge. A video would definitely help them figure it out. I uploaded some of a problem chick of mine, and they helped me figure him out.

 

[Runner duck mom]

I was thinking she was trying to cool off as well but if she still does it on cooler days that may not be it.
How old is she? Laying eggs already? Since its mornings/ afternoon maybe shes trying to settle into a cozy spot to lay an egg? Not sure, just a guess

 

[KikiDeAnime]

I was thinking she was trying to cool off as well but if she still does it on cooler days that may not be it.
How old is she? Laying eggs already? Since its mornings/ afternoon maybe shes trying to settle into a cozy spot to lay an egg? Not sure, just a guess

She's around 4 months old. She hasn't started laying yet.

 

[Runner duck mom]

I can't remember exactly what age our runners started laying but the youngest age I saw online was 17 weeks. Still not totally sure thats why she is doing that and curious to see if anyone else has ideas.
Just to be prepared do you have nest boxes and oyster shell available? We just use tupperware storage containers filled with straw for nest boxes, most of the time our ducks use them but sometimes they just leave eggs wherever they feel like it
Our chocolate runner lays pretty blue eggs.