Female Mallard spinning in circles ??

[Whispering_Raven]

Hi everyone! I have a female mallard. Just one. She's about a year and a half old. She's runs with the chickens and doesn't seem to know she's a duck! Anyway....Over the last week or so she's been acting strange. Now, I've seen her do this before, but not like now. She spins in circles several times a day like she's chasing her tail and squawks.....LOUDLY. I've noticed her feathers are looking pretty rough and I've found several throughout the yard. Is she molting? Maybe trying to get the backside feathers? She's not egg bound. She lays everyday. She acts just fine otherwise.

I have no drakes, so it's just her and a bunch of chickens.

Any help would be appreciated!

-Tracy

 

[muddyhorse]

Do any of the chickens ever pick on her? I had a seramas hen injured by a roo do that. She quit in a few days. Does she have an ear infection ? Maybe a tick

 

[Kevin565]

Don't be alarmed. I was a bit shocked when my Mallard hens started this but later realize it was a "Signal" for the drakes in my case

.

 

[Whispering_Raven]

No. Ziggy is the Queen of the Chickens, (even though she's a duck). She is always at the wing of my Giant Roo. It's the weirdest thing. She's very territorial and jealous and even the cats are afraid of her! LOL. How do I check for an ear infection? I'll try to get a picture of her because she is losing feathers left and right and is looking super ROUGH. I checked her for lice, parasites, etc...No signs of anything out of the ordinary. No injuries, and may the heavens help the chicken who tries to take her place! I thought it could be a mating signal, but I don't have any drakes, and she doesn't seem to find inter-species mating an issue. Like I said...it's weird. I literally own a funny farm.

She's still "chasing her tail" A LOT! She's eating, drinking, swimming and laying like usual. Just acting strange.

 

[lwluv2run]

No. Ziggy is the Queen of the Chickens, (even though she's a duck). She is always at the wing of my Giant Roo. It's the weirdest thing. She's very territorial and jealous and even the cats are afraid of her! LOL. How do I check for an ear infection? I'll try to get a picture of her because she is losing feathers left and right and is looking super ROUGH. I checked her for lice, parasites, etc...No signs of anything out of the ordinary. No injuries, and may the heavens help the chicken who tries to take her place! I thought it could be a mating signal, but I don't have any drakes, and she doesn't seem to find inter-species mating an issue. Like I said...it's weird. I literally own a funny farm.

She's still "chasing her tail" A LOT! She's eating, drinking, swimming and laying like usual. Just acting strange.

I know this post was several years ag but... did you ever discover what was going on with her? Because My sister has a mini appleyard duck that has the same exact behavior/symptoms.