Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[DuckDodgers]

So every day around dusk my mandarin hen will start quacking. She will quack a couple of times then pause for a little bit then quack again, she repeats this until dark. I have never heard of ducks doing this, is this a common thing? If so then what does it signify? I find this very intriguing, if any of you have the same thing happen please share.

 

[3BirdGirlz]

So every day around dusk my mandarin hen will start quacking. She will quack a couple of times then pause for a little bit then quack again, she repeats this until dark. I have never heard of ducks doing this, is this a common thing? If so then what does it signify? I find this very intriguing, if any of you have the same thing happen please share.

Yes, mine do it. Has she started nesting yet? When my hens quack, it usually is because she's going to go lay.

 

[BYC-user-174785]

My hens begin the quacking you are referring to when they are approaching breeding season and it continues throughout breeding season. You will notice that the drakes will make a sound and their mate will often respond with the vocalization specific to that species. It is nice having various species to hear the ducks communicating.

 

[DuckDodgers]

Interesting, I have never noticed my wood duck doing it. I have noticed that since I got the mandarins they are much more vocal than my wood ducks which is nice because I like to hear them communicate.

Yes, mine do it. Has she started nesting yet? When my hens quack, it usually is because she's going to go lay..

My hen hasn't started yet, but the male was really checking out the nest box a few days ago, so I've kept my eye on her.

My hens begin the quacking you are referring to when they are approaching breeding season and it continues throughout breeding season. You will notice that the drakes will make a sound and their mate will often respond with the vocalization specific to that species. It is nice having various species to hear the ducks communicating.

 

[Mandarinki]

So every day around dusk my mandarin hen will start quacking. She will quack a couple of times then pause for a little bit then quack again, she repeats this until dark. I have never heard of ducks doing this, is this a common thing? If so then what does it signify? I find this very intriguing, if any of you have the same thing happen please share.

Over the years I've also watched my mandarins do the same, my wood duck hens do it too but just make a different sound and they all fly back and fourth in the aviary. To my understanding they do it to find shelter for the night such as water. I have two large ponds in the back of my place which is also visible to my ducks. At dusk I get all types of breeds of waterfowl fly in for the night and that's when my hens start their quacking and fly to the end of the aviary(the side that's facing the pond). I personally don't think it has anything to do with breeding/laying season. Especially since they lay their eggs at dawn. Although they do the quacking before going into the boxes to lay, just not as much as they do at dusk.

 

[TheYeldman]

Mine are doing it at about 5 in the morning at the moment... very annoying!

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Over the years I've also watched my mandarins do the same, my wood duck hens do it too but just make a different sound and they all fly back and fourth in the aviary. To my understanding they do it to find shelter for the night such as water. I have two large ponds in the back of my place which is also visible to my ducks. At dusk I get all types of breeds of waterfowl fly in for the night and that's when my hens start their quacking and fly to the end of the aviary(the side that's facing the pond). I personally don't think it has anything to do with breeding/laying season. Especially since they lay their eggs at dawn. Although they do the quacking before going into the boxes to lay, just not as much as they do at dusk.

My one hen lays at dusk. Same time every afternoon/night. Just saying.

 

[DuckDodgers]

How well can mandarins see at night?

 

[DuckDodgers]

I am so excited! My Mandarin hen laid an egg today. She did not leave it in the nest box I have for them but in the large ground box by the entrance to the pen. I saw her in there earlier today so I put extra hey in there, when I went out tonight to put my other ducks up I check the ground box in that was an egg. Hopefully me checking the box won't deter her from playing. There is only about an inch or two of hay in the box will that be okay for her to nest on?

 

[BYC-user-174785]

Congrats! I'm glad she finally laid for you. I have never had a mandarin lay in a ground box, but in the wood duck style boxes I notice that the hens like making a deep nest. Sometimes the eggs do end up all the way on the wooden bottom. I use a few inches of wood shavings on the bottom then some hay on top of that. If I notice that there is not enough nesting material I do on occasion put some more hay under the eggs to keep them from breaking just in case. Be sure to monitor the nest and then see if that will suffice for her.