Odd duck behavior

[mariehanson]

Hi everyone, just looking for some advice to put my worrying mind at ease. I have noticed some new strange behavior amongst my two ducks in the past couple of weeks and just wanted to see if it is normal.

My ducks have taken to preening each other. I thought maybe it was just a dominance pecking order thing that I've read about here a couple of times but it doesn't seem like that at all. My ducks will have a play around in the pond for a bit then one will spread out really flat on top of the water and the other one will preen the other's back or wings. Then they swap around and the other will spread out flat and the other will do the preening.They don't seem to be hurting each other and take turns in doing it but will then get out of the pond and preen themselves. Is this normal?

Also on a different note, both ducks have now decided that they do not like sawdust and straw as bedding in their nest boxes and make a big effort every bedtime to remove it into the main coop. This means that they end up sleeping on the hard wooden floor of the nest boxes, which I'm not overly fussed about right now but with winter coming in fast I'm worried they will be too cold. Every time I replace the straw in the nest boxes they just end up kicking it out when I come to check on them in the morning. Silly ducks. Anyone else had any similar issues?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone, just looking for some advice to put my worrying mind at ease. I have noticed some new strange behavior amongst my two ducks in the past couple of weeks and just wanted to see if it is normal.

My ducks have taken to preening each other. I thought maybe it was just a dominance pecking order thing that I've read about here a couple of times but it doesn't seem like that at all. My ducks will have a play around in the pond for a bit then one will spread out really flat on top of the water and the other one will preen the other's back or wings. Then they swap around and the other will spread out flat and the other will do the preening.They don't seem to be hurting each other and take turns in doing it but will then get out of the pond and preen themselves. Is this normal?

Also on a different note, both ducks have now decided that they do not like sawdust and straw as bedding in their nest boxes and make a big effort every bedtime to remove it into the main coop. This means that they end up sleeping on the hard wooden floor of the nest boxes, which I'm not overly fussed about right now but with winter coming in fast I'm worried they will be too cold. Every time I replace the straw in the nest boxes they just end up kicking it out when I come to check on them in the morning. Silly ducks. Anyone else had any similar issues?

How old are your ducks? both females? if so just sounds like they are behaving like 2 females that are becoming hormonal, sometimes they will even mount each other and go through the whole sexual behavior thing. Maybe try an different material in their nest boxes, I use pine shavings the thicker [flake] than the fine more like saw dust. they squish down into it and seem to really like it. all I have to do is remove the top where the poo sits and fluff.

 

[mariehanson]

Thanks Miss Lydia, my ducks are about 26 weeks old and one of them has just started laying so you may be right about the hormones. I've checked online where I buy their bedding and am tempted to really annoy the ducks by buying them lavender scented wood shavings for rabbits and guinea pigs,

spoilt little madams!
Thanks for the reassurance

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Miss Lydia, my ducks are about 26 weeks old and one of them has just started laying so you may be right about the hormones. I've checked online where I buy their bedding and am tempted to really annoy the ducks by buying them lavender scented wood shavings for rabbits and guinea pigs,

spoilt little madams!
Thanks for the reassurance

LOL listen I spray lavender oil mixed with Oxine ah onto my ducks shaving everyday... They expect it.

make sure never to use cedar only pine or other hardwood shaving but not cedar. They sound very spoiled and I am thinking your girls are very normal.