Observations on duck intelligence

[nao57]

So I thought I would create this thread to post observations on duck behavior intelligence. And others could do the same or just comment their own observations also.

I find this pretty interesting to think about.

And just in the last 2 days I'd also observed evidence of 2 such cases.

1) After turning 2 or 3 ducks into meat, the others are more wary around me. (Technically dad helped do this part because I had a hard time with it.) It was quite interesting that they could be wary after losing numbers. (I do hope they'll be more friendly again. One of them is still quite friendly, but the others aren't yet.)

2) I have several runner ducklings growing in a separate pen from my adult ducks. Today I had to separate one of them from the others to put it in a pen that has more cushioning (more wood chips, etc), to let it have time to heal. I also knew that it wouldn't be good for it to be alone so I put another one with it.

When I put these 2 in another box in the other room. The remaining ducks kept calling to these 2 ducks in the other room, and vice versa! This was quite interesting! There was first, '3 duckling whistles in a row' from one room. Then a response in the same manner from the others. This continued for the first ten minutes of separation.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was without a drake for my muscovy hens for a few years. They would lay eggs, but they didn't defend their nests like they would when I had a drake. Hens will also abandon bad eggs or remove them. All signs that they know more than we give them credit for.

 

[Maddog_photog]

Mine eat their own feces. Geniuses or nah..?

 

[Duckmom27]

When I'm going somewhere, I jingle my keys while saying "time to go" and they all go in their coop. Yesterday I was getting ready to go to out for a bit, and about ten minutes before leaving I went outside to put the ducks in their coop. As soon as my blue swedish drake saw the keys in my hand, but before I started jingling them, he ran to the pool and jumped in and started splashing around excitedly while staring at me. It seriously felt like he was asking me not to put him in the coop yet. I gave them a few more minutes

 

[nao57]

I forgot to mention, one drake that I imprinted on from incubator, will walk up to me and let me touch his beak, while he sort of rubs my finger with it. Its kind of funny that he will

When I'm going somewhere, I jingle my keys while saying "time to go" and they all go in their coop. Yesterday I was getting ready to go to out for a bit, and about ten minutes before leaving I went outside to put the ducks in their coop. As soon as my blue swedish drake saw the keys in my hand, but before I started jingling them, he ran to the pool and jumped in and started splashing around excitedly while staring at me. It seriously felt like he was asking me not to put him in the coop yet. I gave them a few more minutes

You are right. Definitely a sign of teenage rebellion (Intelligence?)

 

[nao57]

I am also fascinated when they go to their coops by themselves if I'm a bit late behind schedule at night.

 

[Duckmom27]

Two of mine will fall asleep in my lap if I rub their bill. Used to be three but the pekin has gotten pretty stubborn lately

 

[LT71689]

When I got my ducklings I picked up a pack of bright blue plastic plates to put under food and water dishes to catch overflow, and now I use them for cut up treats. They KNOW those plates and get very upset if they see a plate being handled but not coming to them with a pile of treats on it. Doing the dishes with them around is quite an event

 

[DanielleGut]

Ok I'm new to ducks and chickens and I have a question.... it seems like my male pekin duck wags his tail when he is happy to see us....is this common?

 

[LT71689]

Ok I'm new to ducks and chickens and I have a question.... it seems like my male pekin duck wags his tail when he is happy to see us....is this common?

Yep! They're basically feathered puppies, happy tail wags and all. Mine do it (along with getting extremely chatty) when they see food or fresh water coming or when I go to open their pen door in the morning