Female with male behaviour??

[DrChickenKev]

I've noticed recently that one of our Muscovy hens is trapping another (older) hen by biting the submissive hen's head feathers and sitting on her back like a drake would to mate

Then when the submissive hen 'yields' the dominant hen starts pruning the other duck and if her target moves the dominant hen chases and pins her down again...

Anyone else seen this, I'm sure its normal, and I'm not worried, it just seemed a little strange?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've noticed recently that one of our Muscovy hens is trapping another (older) hen by biting the submissive hen's head feathers and sitting on her back like a drake would to mate

Then when the submissive hen 'yields' the dominant hen starts pruning the other duck and if her target moves the dominant hen chases and pins her down again...

Anyone else seen this, I'm sure its normal, and I'm not worried, it just seemed a little strange?

Yes i see it quite often, I have 8 female Muscovies and they do it to one another especially this time of year. and sometimes even the drake will come over and give her the once over. but usually its just the girls.

 

[Kevin565]

Very common dominance behavior

 

[DrChickenKev]

Interesting...

So the younger one (Velma) is beginning to dominate the older hen (Angel)

What was also interesting this afternoon was the drake (Daffy) and Velma were chasing Angel together, it was as though Velma was chasing down Angel to say, here you are, Master [you'll need to effect your evil voice in there, sorry!] - I say strange because Angel was the original partner of Daffy and was dominant, but it seems like age is taking its course?

What else is interesting, but unsurprising, is that Angel keeps laying her eggs in different places round the garden (I let them free roam) as I try to collect the eggs regularly; so Im also thinking that I should perhaps lock her in on her own so she can settle in a safer nesting area

PS> Velma was so named as she was sister to Daffney - but SHE decided to fly off to the local farm , the little hussy...!! Sadly we havent seen her for a few months now

 

[abbypeaches]

I'm having the same problem with my two Pekin ducks-both hens. Now only getting one egg per day as compared to getting an egg from each Pekin hen. How can I encourage the dominant hen to start laying again?

 

[DrChickenKev]

I'm having the same problem with my two Pekin ducks-both hens. Now only getting one egg per day as compared to getting an egg from each Pekin hen. How can I encourage the dominant hen to start laying again?

Do you just have the two hens, no drakes, or any other animals?