Duck shakes with excitement....? (Vibrating ducks)

[gdhp]

Quote:
I always presumed it was a nerves adrenalin type of thing. Like they get frightened cause you pick them up so the adrenalin starts pumping and they start shaking. I always presumed it to be that?

I like the happy idea better though. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[easttxchick]

If you notice, the shaking is usually followed by a lunge, pinch, poke, something like that-I don't see that as "Hey, I'm so happy I'm shaking".
Many times, the shaking has been followed by them grabbing a small piece of skin on my neck and twisting it.

 

[tdgill]

I see them do that to my dogs, to the chickens and cats too. I believe its them trying to be the boss. They do it to chase competition away at my house. One of the littlest ducks does it to me when I run out of peas...vibrates and goes up my arm with her neck. But mostly they'll do it across the chickens back to shoe them away from the treats.

 

[dianaross77]

My pekin drakes always did it right before they tried to mount me. So I'm going to have to say excitement plays a role.

 

[Speceider]

Actually, more related to stress.....when they attack an intruder, they tend to shake. NOT "Happy".

Clint

 

[mandelyn]

Mine only ever do it when they're about to be aggressive... I haven't noticed any happiness at all about it. Every time the shaking starts I get the skin on my arm grabbed and twisted!

When a chicken gets close, the Mallard cross hen will start vibrating her head and then BAM she gooses the chicken right on the back. I just wrangled 4 of them yesterday to cut some bands off now that I have the flock all sorted and the extras sold. 3 of the 4 seemed alright with being held and handled. The 4th... started vibrating and then I got grabbed. Not a game, I don't think.

So when they do it, I move my arm and start petting them behind the head. The usually diverts the attack. When I had to wrap the call duck boys for angel wing, I was the brunt of their frustration. They were not pleased, and started shaking the minute I picked them up. I even got a bruise from one grab, he just wouldn't let go of my forearm!

You know, as sweet as they are, they can be quite mean. I get far better treatment from the chickens! The chickens are all sweet, will run to me whether I have food or not. The ducks... always looking at me with that one distrustful eye and acting like I'm trying to poison them when I give them a new treat. Ungrateful things. Don't they know they're twice as much work as the chickens?

Good thing I like the challenge of being their friend. I finally got a drake to eat from my hand yesterday without any shaking or meanness! That only took 3 months.

They were so sweet as day old babies, running to me and calling me mom. What happened? haha.

 

[evansacres]

I have to agree that it seems to be more stress, and is probably supposed to be a warning. My ducks would do this to my young drake and then go after him. It seemed to be more of an annoyance thing. They seemed to say "keep your distance" and "we don't want you around".

 

[bt03]

Of course I am confused again ( happens regularly to me). Only my hen will do this, kind of. She will start to vibrate then do this up & down popping thing with her head then quack at me. She won't attack and she won't try to hurt anyone but I have always wondered what it is. She only does it once maybe twice a day and the rest of the time she will just ook and quack at me until I quack back at her. I've never seen my drake even attempt to do this even when you pick him up

Just when I get used to a certain "thing" that they do here we go with all the crazy questions about what they are really thinking

 

[Speceider]

up & down popping thing with her head then quack at me.

That's solicitation.

Clint

 

[heatherindeskies]

yes, mine do it as a signal they want to be held which is why they lunge. Enjoy!