duck questions and general exhaustion

[dragonshiner]

Number one- When ducks stand upright and rapidly flap their wings, both solo and in a group, what does that mean?

Number two- One of my magpie ducklings(3 weeks) got overrun by its siblings and injured its leg It seems to be doing fine aside from some limping but this afternoon the older ducks(about 9 weeks)four khakis and my runner all ganged up, repeatedly, on the injured little fellow and was biting his neck! I had to finally separate him from the others and he is doing fine on his own. Why did my older ducks attack him?

Number three- are there any resources on interpreting duck behaviour? All I can find are very clinical books on raising them.

Finally I think I am done with muscovies before I even started. Seriously. I started with about a dozen, okay 11, muscovy ducklings, 1 got sick and died, 6 were trampled by their siblings, 1 went MIA, and now today ANOTHER 1 went MIA! I only have two left! I think I might be cursed not to have that specific breed.

Actually I realize it's mainly due to this being my first crack at duck raising and I'm still learning the ropes. But I have a total of thirty ducks and the muscovies are all seeming to the ones targeted for misfortune. "What gives, Universe?"

........okay...I'll try muscovies again next spring

 

[BantyHugger]

1) I think thats just a naturall exercise for developing strong wing muscles.
2) Khakis are known as slightly aggressive ducks. Survival of the fittest?
4) I don't have any, but i hear that Muscovies are really weak and not exactly the geniuses of the duck world. You might want to keep them in a smaller pen or a brooder for the 1st week you have them next time. Normally after a week their big enough the others don't mess with them.
Yeah, the Universe needs to back off us 1st time poultry owners.

(I had some banty trouble earlier this year.)

 

[FisherMOM]

My ducks flap their wings when I let them out of their pen each morning. I think it's like an "AHHHHH that feels good!" type of thing!

 

[DuckyBoys]

Quote:
Mine do that too. And then occassionally during the day they all run their butts off and flap, some of 'em even get some air!

I love it - but that wing beating is loud! Makes a big commotion.

 

[FisherMOM]

Tippytoes and all, right Duckboy? I love watching them too!!
here is Gretchen. This was 2 mornings ago.

Pig is off to the side watching.

 

[conny63malies]

Dont know whats up with your muscovies, but my first ducks are three of them. I got them local from a member as week olds. I still have them all. They are so easy to take care of and sweet. Mine are 24/7 in a fenced yard . Did they got trampeled by other scovies or your other ducks?
they are also rather nice and tame. they gey dragged around by my two year old and one of the ducks likes to play with our puppy . They wrestle and nibble each other and the duck ends up winning everytime, even sticks her bill in the dogs mouth.

 

[dragonshiner]

The ones that got trampled were all inside the tank I had set up for them and all the other ducklings I had at the time. Their waterer sprung a leak and the scovies got bogged down in the muck and their siblings just walked over them.
My problems with muscovies have nothing to do with the breed. I think they are very striking birds and have heard many wonderful things about them. Mine just seem to keep wandering into unfortunate circumstances.

BTW- The little muscovy who went MIA yesterday afternoon came back today. This morning when I went to let the kids out of the coop I found him wandering right outside the door happily grazing on grass. That really made my day. I had to scoop him up and hug him right there

On wing flapping. Mine also will synchronize their efforts and run in a group flapping like mad. Mabye this is their way of simulating flight in a flightless world?

 

[AhBee01]

My Muscovys do fine, I have had little loss, I let the Momma raise them!
I had 21 eggs out of 22 hatch. I haven't heard they were a weak breed.
Maybe to many birds in the brooder, although I let Momma raise all 21 for the first week, and then I sold a few!
I did lose 2 they got into a bucket of water and drowned

I didn't think they were big enough to reach the bucket, I was so wrong.
Maybe just having them at different ages together is hard?
I would keep the injured one apart till he heals, see if you can find him a
buddy though so he doesn't get lonely!
Brenda

 

[DuckyBoys]

Quote:
beautiful picture!

 

[FisherMOM]

Thanks.