Duck opening mouth and scratching

[kjkchicks]

Hi!
I have two Pekin ducklings, just over a month old..They just got out of the bath about an hour ago and the male started opening his mouth really wide repeatedly and then scratching his face, where his ears would be...I have seen him do this before, even as a little duckling while he was swimming and after a swim, so I am not super worried about it. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea why he is doing this? The female doesn't do it. Maybe he is getting water in his bill somewhere and it is bothering him?
Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi!
I have two Pekin ducklings, just over a month old..They just got out of the bath about an hour ago and the male started opening his mouth really wide repeatedly and then scratching his face, where his ears would be...I have seen him do this before, even as a little duckling while he was swimming and after a swim, so I am not super worried about it. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea why he is doing this? The female doesn't do it. Maybe he is getting water in his bill somewhere and it is bothering him?
Thanks!

Have you looked at his ears? maybe he doesn't like the water getting into them. Does he continue to do this or just for a few minutes after his bath?

 

[kjkchicks]

Haha, wellll I tried to find his ears under his feathers but then he started vibrating and I took that as I sign that he didn't like it, so I stopped and wasn't able to get a look at them. And no, I don't usually see him do this..just after a bath. Although, this time he had been out of his bath for at least an hour when I saw him doing it.

 

[Amiga]

Some of my runners do this as part of their bath time. I think they're just getting the water out of their ears.

 

[jessiduck]

No nothing is bothering them! This is just a part of their grooming ritual!