Duck Mating questions (Do I need an 18+ age warning? JK)

[nao57]

So I have to ask about duck mating behaviors.

I think yesterday was the first time I'd seen my ducks trying to mate with each other. And its kind of funny.

But I have to ask about some stuff because I'm not sure if I should intervene when they are 'playing too rough'? What do you think about this?

For starters, I have too many drakes...which I am going to fix. But one drake tried to mate with a female duck, and while he's trying to stand on her back, two other drakes came up and were trying to bite her head? (LOL, who the helllllo does that? Its good that humans don't do stuff like that I think, or standing on people's backs...enough said there.)

And when the drake, or drakes are biting the hen's head or neck in mating is that considered safe? O.O I was like what.... O.O Do other peoples ducks do that too?

What kinds of stuff would you intervene on and what wouldn't you intervene on?

I kind of get that animals wouldn't do it like people would, but it looked kind of rough.

And will they only mate if there's a bunch of water around? Both times I caught my ducks mating I had the hose on in the back yard with them around it. It seemed to help get them excited about it (maybe?)

And is ducks interest in mating with each other parralel or tied with the timing of when you are going to start getting eggs?

When they were about to mate the female buff duck was doing this head bobbing thing. And then the two male buffs started bobbing their heads too. Then she bobs her head more, and then they followed. And then...they bit each other like zombies. Mating ensued. Animals are funny. I'm glad high school dances aren't like that lol. And do other species also do the head bobbing behaviors with each other when its about to happen? (My pekings haven't figured this out yet. But I better solve my drake problem before they do, because they are much bigger.)

And another thing that happened was the ducks are still quite young, so they haven't quite figured it out yet. So they were trying to mate backwards. And yesterday the one I first saw trying to do it, couldn't quite figure it out. He knew he was supposed to do something but wasn't sure what. And then after that, one of the females tried to mount one of the other females.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

So I have to ask about duck mating behaviors.

I think yesterday was the first time I'd seen my ducks trying to mate with each other. And its kind of funny.

But I have to ask about some stuff because I'm not sure if I should intervene when they are 'playing too rough'? What do you think about this?

For starters, I have too many drakes...which I am going to fix. But one drake tried to mate with a female duck, and while he's trying to stand on her back, two other drakes came up and were trying to bite her head? (LOL, who the helllllo does that? Its good that humans don't do stuff like that I think, or standing on people's backs...enough said there.)

And when the drake, or drakes are biting the hen's head or neck in mating is that considered safe? O.O I was like what.... O.O Do other peoples ducks do that too?

What kinds of stuff would you intervene on and what wouldn't you intervene on?

I kind of get that animals wouldn't do it like people would, but it looked kind of rough.

And will they only mate if there's a bunch of water around? Both times I caught my ducks mating I had the hose on in the back yard with them around it. It seemed to help get them excited about it (maybe?)

And is ducks interest in mating with each other parralel or tied with the timing of when you are going to start getting eggs?

When they were about to mate the female buff duck was doing this head bobbing thing. And then the two male buffs started bobbing their heads too. Then she bobs her head more, and then they followed. And then...they bit each other like zombies. Mating ensued. Animals are funny. I'm glad high school dances aren't like that lol. And do other species also do the head bobbing behaviors with each other when its about to happen? (My pekings haven't figured this out yet. But I better solve my drake problem before they do, because they are much bigger.)

And another thing that happened was the ducks are still quite young, so they haven't quite figured it out yet. So they were trying to mate backwards. And yesterday the one I first saw trying to do it, couldn't quite figure it out. He knew he was supposed to do something but wasn't sure what. And then after that, one of the females tried to mount one of the other females.

... Wow.
I would just like to say that I do not own ducks. I have read a bit about them and have inspected my neighbor's ducks, but I, myself, have not been in possession of any since I was a young child. The following info is my own speculation combined with a bit of "experience."
Okay, from what I can tell, duck have a very, very strong "drive." We used to have ducks, and the drakes would mate with each other when there weren't enough females. Ewwwwww!!
The biting, I would guess, is done for the same reason that a rooster bites a hen's hackles before mounting -- it helps them to gain and maintain balance while doing the thingima. It also helps the male to prevent the female from running off.
As for the other ducks biting the duck who is being mated with... I've seen that happen with my chickens. As far as I can tell, it's to keep the receiver of affection subdued and cowed.
I remember seeing the neighbor's ducks do the head-bobbing thing before mating. It seems to be an invite of sorts, a way of showing that the duck is ready to mate.
Mating is easier for ducks to do when they're in water. Easier to keep their balance, I guess?
The male getting confused about the mating is pretty much to be expected. It takes practice -- my roosters couldn't mate to save their lives for a while.
as for the female trying to mount another female... I'm not sure. I think that this is another thing that I saw with the neighbor's ducks -- probably has something to do with the aforementioned "very, very strong drive." Not just the males -- the females have it, too, and maybe another female will satisfy it if there isn't a drake around?
Okay, I think that that's all from me. Ducks are weird. Very, very weird.
Good luck. I hope that someone with more real experience and knowledge can come help you out soon.
Oh, and apologies to anyone who was disturbed by any of this!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

what’s your ratio?

 

[Texag87]

The drakes biting the ducks while another drake is mating her a normal though repulsive behavior. This is why ratio is so important. As far as ducks on ducks, wait until you see a duck on a duck with a drake on top. I think @WannaBeHillBilly has seen them stacked four high.

 

[Texag87]

The times I have seen three high it was always my Pekin on bottom. Either a Rouen hen or K/C on top of her and my little runner drake on top.

 

[CindyinSD]

If you have too many drakes, you need to confine the extras somewhere they can't get at the ducks (or especially at the chicken hens, who can be badly injured).

The male birds will bite the female's upper neck feathers to hold on to their (rather precarious) position. At least that's the way it appears to me with my geese. Some roosters do this; others are more graceful and just hop on top. If the female suffers injuries such as scalping or (from roosters) spur injuries then it might be time to retire that male to the freezer--but do remember that some overzealous young Lotharios simply may not know how to do it properly yet.

Mating is easier and fertility higher in waterfowl if they have water available--even something as shallow as a kiddy pool. Heavy bodied geese cannot reliably mate out of water.

Geese only lay & mate in the springtime. Chickens both mate and lay as long as they are exposed to sufficient daylight hours. Some ducks have been bred to lay year round, but whether they also mate and brood year round, I don't know. However, mating behavior will coincide with laying, the exception being a male maturing sexually before the female does. The male will (clumsily) force himself on the usually unwilling female though she has yet to begin laying.

Many animals express their sexual or dominance urges by mounting others of their own sex. Cattle will do this too... it's just what they do.

 

[nao57]

Sooo...the biting I won't have to worry about them injuring each other then? Or will I? And will I have to worry about them 'stacking'? (Should this be interrupted?)

My ratio is bad I know. But dad was dealing with family emergencies. (Dad is 'the axeman' for our little prison. Because I raised them and like them so much, there's no way I can do it even though I know I have to make changes, just off the ratio alone.) And then when we were going to do it again a few times, when my mom filled the freezer with her shopping, which made us kind of annoyed because we told her we needed the space and had it reserved. And she didn't listen.

So I meant to reduce the drakes a month ago.

I'm hoping to do it tomorrow.

And even if I didn't want to reduce the numbers, I have to anyway because its ridiculous trying to get eggs from drakes.

The people at Cal Ranch sold me 6 drakes and 3 females. So I know its bad. I'm really hoping that things can hang on for just 1 more day and to fix it tomorrow. (And 1 of those 3 females isn't actually an adult yet. She's close but still teenage.)

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

We have our ducks split out in two sections - one is for ladies and babies, the other is for the batchelors.

One lucky don juan gets to spend his time with the ladies in Sexy Town - we tried two drakes to seven hens this year and there was some very unsavoury behaviour with one finishing and hopping off for the other just to hop on for a go.

That was worthy of an intervention.

In fact, we decided that was the end of our god awful mating season and put both drakes back in to the batchelor enclosure.

In the main, our lot seemed to do most of their lurve thing on dry land - I do think that was a result of the hens avoiding water and therefore the drakes attentions which worked for a while.

We have seen quite a bit of erm, dry humping going on between the ladies and as the young drakes try and work out whats what.

You will know the real thing when you see it !

 

[ibarbidahl]

*sigh* So one of the worst things you can do with ducks is have too many drakes. I have seen quite a few ducks with their eyeballs torn out, skin ripped off the back of their necks, etc from having too many males in a pen. Either separate them and keep only 1 drake with them at a time or send them to freezer camp. I have a "time out pen" for aggressive drakes but normally I have the coop sectioned into 2 parts. A bachelor pad and the hens. The bachelors (each, separately) get supervised time with the hens as apparently the hens also enjoy a good romp occasionally. If they aren't showing signs that they want the male around then I only allow the "visits" when I want to hatch eggs.
Don't worry about stacking, worry about your hens getting injured. Oh, and YES water is the instigator. Don't put a kiddy pond in with your drakes. Hens only. Give the drakes a bucket and only let them into the pond when they are out with the hens or by themselves. Drakes are randy. The males will rape each other if they are given a pond.

 

[nao57]

*sigh* So one of the worst things you can do with ducks is have too many drakes. I have seen quite a few ducks with their eyeballs torn out, skin ripped off the back of their necks, etc from having too many males in a pen. Either separate them and keep only 1 drake with them at a time or send them to freezer camp. I have a "time out pen" for aggressive drakes but normally I have the coop sectioned into 2 parts. A bachelor pad and the hens. The bachelors (each, separately) get supervised time with the hens as apparently the hens also enjoy a good romp occasionally. If they aren't showing signs that they want the male around then I only allow the "visits" when I want to hatch eggs.
Don't worry about stacking, worry about your hens getting injured. Oh, and YES water is the instigator. Don't put a kiddy pond in with your drakes. Hens only. Give the drakes a bucket and only let them into the pond when they are out with the hens or by themselves. Drakes are randy. The males will rape each other if they are given a pond.

Thanks for your advise. This was helpful.

I will definitely curb the red light district in duck town.

And having eyes torn out sounds a lot like zombies to me.