Mating rituals

[Ducktown]

I was wondering what kind of mating rituals they have. I have a drake that is getting his head colored up into green (a bit less than 14 weeks old), and I think he is starting to show some hormone induced activity.

I would love to know what kind of tricks your drakes (and ladies) do when they are into it.

I have noticed my drake swimming next to the target duck hen, and at the same time raising and lowering his head. If she escapes, he usually tries the same trick on another lady or even on another less developed drake.

Other ducks are a bit younger and are not showing any signs yet.

 

[sourland]

When the duck hen is interested, she will flatten out on the water and extend her neck parallel to the water. He will know what to do.

 

[chickens really]

Head bobbing is flirting, both Drakes and Hens do it..Young Drakes might try to mount Hens but usually fail in their clumsiness..

 

[Ducktown]

How will I know that hens start maturing? At this point, they seem to be fully developed, but I have no idea how far they really are. Is there a way to tell? For example, I can see the drake's head greening up daily, hens seem to be the same, except for slight color change of bill and feathers.

 

[Ducktown]

Here's the little flock resting in the shade. The curled butt in the background is the drake.

 

[chickens really]

The Hens will start displaying for the Drakes...Flirting and will get a lower rounder butt before they lay eggs...They will also lay flat for Drakes to mount...

 

[Ducktown]

They are not there yet, but I guess they will be soon.
Here are two of the hens. Their bottoms do seem a bit rounder than drake's (except my fat drake, that one has really fat ass ). It's wider, more than lower, I think. They don't flirt yet, or lay flat. If drake flirts with them, they start quacking and swim faster.
There's one hen that follows the drake all the time and did show some signs that may or may not be the beginning of something. She was swimming in ultra fast mode around him, swimming underwater under him, emerged in front of him and did more circles around him. That happened when she followed him into the pond. Usually there are all five inside and they just make a massive splash-fest.

 

[chickens really]

They are not there yet, but I guess they will be soon.
Here are two of the hens. Their bottoms do seem a bit rounder than drake's (except my fat drake, that one has really fat ass ). It's wider, more than lower, I think. They don't flirt yet, or lay flat. If drake flirts with them, they start quacking and swim faster.
There's one hen that follows the drake all the time and did show some signs that may or may not be the beginning of something. She was swimming in ultra fast mode around him, swimming underwater under him, emerged in front of him and did more circles around him. That happened when she followed him into the pond. Usually there are all five inside and they just make a massive splash-fest.
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Sounds like you understand what's going on...Your right in all aspects of Drake and Hen behaviour....
Best wishes ....

 

[BirdHead]

It's always best to wait out the hens till they're almost two if you're looking to breed.

IMO I don't like fowl mounting during the teenage stage. But sometimes you can't help nature!

 

[chickens really]

I breed all Hen once respective to Drakes...Two years is pretty long too wait...