MUCKY DUCKY!

[Flutterbudget]

Hi all!

I have 4 Aylesbury ducks (two female, two male) and they are 6 months old. I’ve noticed that my largest male will literally never wash himself and I’ve in turn actually named him mud. Is there a dominance reason for this? The females and the other male seem to willingly hop into the water whereas he’ll only dip his head in. He’s an awful mucky tinge in comparison to the others that look well kempt. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this with any of their males and wether it’s an alpha male trait?

Thanks a bunch!
— Katie.

 

[CHlCKEN]

He could be having trouble getting into the pool. What do you have set up for them? Pics?

 

[CHlCKEN]

Waterfowl tend to mate in water. I don’t doubt that it’s a dominance issue. The other male could be dominant, therefore not allowing him to have access to the pool and mate.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I would set up a second water area for him. It’s crucial that he is able to clean himself properly, and he obviously is not able to do that in the current situation he’s in.

 

[KingD]

If there's water with easy access and no rivalry between males then there's not really anything you can do about it.
He's cleaner than the ducks at the park

 

[Flutterbudget]

He could be having trouble getting into the pool. What do you have set up for them? Pics?

I highly doubt that seen as hes the largest in stature and all the others manage perfectly fine. I’ll attach a picture, can’t wait to get them a large sized pool in the summer it’s just one of those little sandpit kiddy pools at the moment

 

[Flutterbudget]

I would set up a second water area for him. It’s crucial that he is able to clean himself properly, and he obviously is not able to do that in the current situation he’s in.

I’m going to attempt to coax him into the water tomorrow, just place him in and see if that’ll start the cleaning cogs in his brain!

 

[CHlCKEN]

I highly doubt that seen as hes the largest in stature and all the others manage perfectly fine. I’ll attach a picture, can’t wait to get them a large sized pool in the summer it’s just one of those little sandpit kiddy pools at the moment

I wrote that post before I noticed you said you had two drakes. I think it’s a dominance thing. Thank you though.

 

[Flutterbudget]

If there's water with easy access and no rivalry between males then there's not really anything you can do about it.
He's cleaner than the ducks at the park

I think the name mud is well suited for him He’s a real stinkbomb but he’s worth the cuddles!

 

[Flutterbudget]

I wrote that post before I noticed you said you had two drakes. I think it’s a dominance thing. Thank you though.

The other male is a lot more timid than him, mud does seem to rule the roost. I wonder how the lack of cleaning correlates to dominance..