Duck behavior: Is my Khaki Campbell quacking up?

[EvaluationUnit]

Hello all!

I've noticed a peculiar behavior recently by my khaki campbell hen. Sometimes she will just stand in the middle of their run and quack VERY LOUDLY and repeatedly for hours. All of the other ducks surround her, standing straight, when she does this and just look at her.

Now, I've noticed my pekin hen will do this -- but only if she's separated from the ducks she wants to be with. I'm concerned that our neighbors may get upset or think we're mistreating them because she really does carry on for hours. When she does it, I run out and check to see that they have food, water, and that there's nothing visibly upsetting happening in their run like anything that shouldn't be there. My running out there will dissuade her for a bit, but when I go inside she starts right back up again. My KC hen has been a little... weird ever since she ate aluminum rust flakes off the coop tray and needed chelation therapy. Is it possible she's damaged neurologically and this is just one of her quirks now? Or is it perhaps she's upset about something I'm not seeing or can't really do much about (like when chipmunks and mice run through)?

 

[BaileyPoole]

One of my pekin hens does this, but not for hours. Just until something distracts her. When she does it during the day I assume she is alerting the others of a threat, but I've never seen anything that could be bothering her. She will also do it in the evenings if I'm late to put them to bed lol. Hopefully someone else will have a better answer for you!

 

[KaleIAm]

It could just be her personality. I've had 2 shout quackers. They stand around and shout quack when they want mealworms, when they want me to come take them for a walk, when they hear my car pull up, and even in the middle of the night if they hear me open the back door. Then they shout quack to alert me or the other ducks of approaching humans, neighbor dogs, hawks, falling leaves, terrifying bunnies, airplanes, ect.

I deal with this by quacking back at them. They quack back at me and we have a quackversation. Then I get them mealworms, take them for a walk, chase off the killer bunny, ect. Obviously I'm making the shout quacking worse by reinforcing it, but I kind of love it! Thankfully we have a lot of space and our neighbors are cool with farm noises.

My shout quackers are at the top of the pecking order in my flock, so I assume it is their responsibility to look out for danger. It could be a coincidence though, as I have only had 6 ducks.

 

[Weeg]

My Mallard hen doe this when she wants to be let ou too the run. Do your ducks free range? Maybe she is bored, maybe try distracting her with some toys or something like that. The fact that when you come out she stops, makes me think maybe she is expecting something from you, like being let out, treats, or other things?

 

[Freie Family Farm]

I have an appleyard female who does this whose name is now quackers. Shes been a noisy brute since the day we brought her home lol its just her personality and we learned to quack back or tell her to quit acting like a Karen lol in fact she's yapping right now

 

[KaleIAm]

I have an appleyard female who does this whose name is now quackers. Shes been a noisy brute since the day we brought her home lol its just her personality and we learned to quack back or tell her to quit acting like a Karen lol in fact she's yapping right now

I'm glad I'm not the only one who quacks back. ;-)

 

[jennybvcr]

A similar problem is why I'm here today! Since losing her companion a few months ago, my generally sweet Cayuga has turned into a real PITA. She shouts constantly, at all hours of the day and night and she's always charging at me. She won't let me pet her anymore. It's been a real 180 from her basically calm demeanor before losing her friend. There are two other, younger ducks so she is not alone. They are allowed out in their yard during the day so they have plenty of space. I live in a neighborhood and am worried the neighbors are going to start complaining. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I can deal with the charging and the bristling but the yelling is a bit much. She's turned into such an angry old witch!

 

[Freie Family Farm]

Maybe find her a friend thats around her age or just give her some time. Or she could just have a new attitude now that she's the oldest

 

[EvaluationUnit]

Some of your stories are so funny! Shout quacking back! Hahaha.

She didn't start doing this until this year, and only after her metal poisoning. I also feel like she is upset that I added more ducks this year (there were just the two of them last year) and she wants to be an only duck... Though she has been considerably happier and better looking since I added more females so the drake lays off. She's not afraid to get in the water anymore since his affections are spread out more.

She's not super into asking for things. None of them are really into coming up to me unless their food or water is empty, or they see I have greens or the designated "pea bowl" in my hands. Usually they run away from me, but are very into seeing what we're doing if we're not in the run.

They don't free roam due to the amount of predators around here, but they have a large run with a pool and two coops they can hang out in if they want. She is definitely the queen of the flock though - she has no problem charging at others if she doesn't want them near her. She used to abruptly "scream" really loudly (a super loud quack) before the others came along, and sometimes she'd fly up onto the coop roof to get away from the drake. Sometimes I wonder if she just wants to be alone -- she never cared much when we took the drake away to treat him for bumblefoot or to just get him away from her for a bit, which is different from the other ducks who absolutely lose their minds when separated from their buddies (the drake cries when I separate them! She clearly doesn't share his affections ). Anyone have hens that prefer to be by themselves?

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who quacks back. ;-)

I don’t quack, but i certainly talk or yell back, and they quack back at me! Good times with the ducks!