Hookies are doing it!

[Birch Run Farm]

Yep, caught them in the act, boy + girl. They looked very clumsy but clearly happy with their lusty behavior.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Are they the ones laying all the eggs that you discoved the other week?

 

[Birch Run Farm]

I am not sure yet! One of the ducks is laying eggs in the hanging nestboxs, where the chickens lay. Lately I have been finding one a day so not sure what is going on.

I imagine with breeding behavior the hook bills will start dropping eggs soon.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Be sure to post & let us know when you find out. Can you tell by the color, size & shape of the egg? I wouldn't think hook bills and scovy eggs would look the same. Hmmmmmmm, I'm curious.

 

[Sweetfolly]

OOOOH!

Someone else with Hookbills! (I've only found a handful of us on BYC so far!)

I got a pair (both solid dusky) from Sandhill Preservation Center this year, and some more coming from Holderread's next spring - hoping for some bibbed and solid whites in that batch!

How many and what colors do you have? If yours are "doing it" already, I may have to pester you into sending me some eggs! Mine are only 2 months old now, and the male is a bit...slow in the head

The female can outsmart all of my ducks though, and she's an amazing flier right now, the little stinker.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Annarie,

Glad to see someone else that has these guys!

Mine are from Holderreads, select breeding, so I paid the big dineros. Out of the batch I ended up with three drakes and 6 hens. I have all bibbed duskys and they look so cool!

They are as laid back as my scovies and are not as noisy as the rest of the mallard breeds. I'll try and get more photos this weekend, the drakes are getting their green heads and are so pretty!