My pet duck appears to have tourettes? does it really PLEASE HELP ME!!

[ducklover1243]

It kind of twitches its head to a specific point on its side repeatedly (in the same way each time, exactly like someone with tourettes!)

, even when the duck is hurriedly running away or is scared, aka from time to time but also in strange situations, so it probably isn't something that is just "triggered" by some certain movement among the other ducks. i am really very worried please help me to find what is wrong with it and/or how to cure this.

it is a female khaki campbell if that helps

 

[gofasterstripe]

Is its head going up and down but to the side and shes making a noise...if so she is cussing you out

 

[Amiga]

Your duck is blessed to have such a caring person!

Your girl is probably hormonal or otherwise expressing some duckie emotion. A few of my girls, the ones that tend to go broody, have that odd, jerky head down and to the side motion accompanied by a staccato - well, I can see why you'd call it tourette's!

Sometimes it seems to say, "that's MY drake, leave him alone!" Sometimes it seems to say, "hey, I'M the special one! Look at me!"

I have read some BYCers calling it the hussie act. Some think it's flirting.

 

[stacey333]

I was told to buy pekin ducks because they get fat and are easily handled.
Much to my suprise the male is a marathon runner in the coup. We recently discovered he was attacking our rooster so we built a seperate enclosure attached to the chicken coop.
We fixed the problen but now the ducks sit right on the fence line next to the coop all day. Oh, Well! At least our rooster isn't bleeding from the comb any more and the duck have
there own area. We love our ducks and we wanted more but she won't set the eggs. Most chix and ducks don't that are incubated. Much luck!

 

[Kschwartz]

My ducklingss tend to turn their head to a certain angle too and make a distinct peeping noise. I then realized that they were looking up in the sky at a hawk circling. They do this every now and then when something they interpret as a predator passes over their heads.

 

[ducklover1243]

thanks guys, but the weird thing is, she isnt making a noise. and she doesnt love being picked up, but she is by far the friendliest. she isnt old enough to lay eggs (about 3 and a half months) and she couldnt be trying to do anything with a drake because we dont have any of them.

...Is she just being weird or could she have some kind of disease? I am cleaning the whole coop, and both runs today to make sure I get rid of anything that is there.... hopefully that works. But any ideas if she is being weird or if it is a disease?

 

[toadbriar]

when there's no drake, my girls will do it to each other. They chase after their chosen target of love, or trail behind them, head-bobbing or twitching to the side and down/back.
Just like (picture it someone asks you where something is, but your hands are full, so you toss your head towards over your shoulder and say "it's back there!"

 

[Amiga]

It's good to be cautious. At the same time, if it's what I think you're describing, this is a behavior that starts in late adolescence (at least it did for my runners). It's part of the complex social structure of ducks. It's not illness.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

It does sound similar to what i've seen with my ducks. They turn their head and put it down to the left then back up quickly then down again, all the while making quick chittering sounds. They do it to another duck. It's some form of communication. i'm not sure if it's aggression, wooing, or just chatting about the weather. Please let us know if thise doesn't sound like what is happening with your duck. It might have neurological issues. Hopefully not.

 

[ducklover1243]

well, mine doesnt usually make noise while doing it, but I hope that it is just communication:/