is pecking order a thing with same age female ducks

[RSTinWA]

I have 6 Swedish Blue ducklings, about a month old. So far, they pretty much act as a single unit, doing everything together -- kind of like a hive mind between all of them. Is it likely that they will develop a pecking order?

In my experience with chickens, we always saw a pecking order-- sometimes it changed, but there was always someone who was top chicken, and someone else who was the recipient of all the pecking. Just wondering if this is an area where ducks are similar, of if they are less hierarchical.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yes. Ducks are probably more so than chickens honestly

 

[KaleIAm]

I don't have chickens, so I can't compare. But in my duck flock there is an obvious pecking order. They still do everything together, but there is a top duck and a clear path down to the bottom duck.

 

[SolarDuck]

I have Muscovy and they have a pecking order for sure but it is pretty complex I really don't have a "top duck" but I do have a bottom duck.

 

[Isaac 0]

I have found ducks to still practice a social hierarchy but not to the same complexity as chickens. Wild ducks typically form large numerous flocks or single pairs where a social hierarchy would be impractical/useless, whereas wild chickens form smaller groups where it could be practiced.

 

[3xhhheather]

I have Muscovy and they have a pecking order for sure but it is pretty complex I really don't have a "top duck" but I do have a bottom duck.

Same, there's a bit more fluidity among the top ranks, but the bottom duck has been that way since the beginning.

And then I have a duck, who does her own thing and seems to not be bothered with the whole hierarchy thing.

 

[RSTinWA]

I have one who is noticeably smaller than the other 5 -- Saltine (Tina for short). She's always in the thick of things, the others always surround her in their fluff-snuggle piles, and she's certainly not lethargic or failing, just smaller. It's hard to tell the others apart at this stage, though there is one with distinctive markings I call Graham -- she often will be the first to try new things, and she's less panicked when I pick her up than any of the others. Beyond those 2, they haven't declared themselves as individuals yet. It's interesting to watch how they change so rapidly, literally overnight. New feathers, darkening bills, voices starting to have a bit of a quack intermixed with the cheeping.

Today's excitement was trying dandelion flowers floating in the water dish. Very popular!