Runner Duck is acting weird and I'm worried. Is this normal?

[Vallen]

Hello,
We have 4 female runner ducks that are just now 1 year old. One of the ladies started acting very strange and has now made it a regular habit. It's a bit concerning with the sudden behavior change. It seems to happen when there is a bit more excitement than usual so it's not all the time. I've attached a video below showing the issue. In the video are 2 ducks. The one acting strangely is on the right making short quaking chitter sounds. In the foreground/off camera at the bottom are some of our geese making gentle honk sounds. If you have seen this before or have some insight, please let us know.

https://imgur.com/a/qybzZ5a

 

[sourland]

It's the sound a duck hen will make to indicate that another bird is her chosen mate. With no drakes in your flock, she is trying to bond with another hen. It's nothing to worry about.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Ah, ah, ah!
Now Autumn is here and the drakes are wearing their beautiful nuptial plumage, my girls are being the same...!! (They look and sound so crazy...!!)

Don't worry, really : your hen is "just" seducing your other duck.
And yes : even if this "other duck" is a girl.

...Her behaviour is perfectly normal.

(If you want, you could offer a drake to your girls?)

 

[Vallen]

Oh thank goodness! That's what we were hoping was happening. Aw. The lovelies. Thank you all for this info

 

[SilveryMoon888]

Hi.

Ah, ah, ah!
Now Autumn is here and the drakes are wearing their beautiful nuptial plumage, my girls are being the same...!! (They look and sound so crazy...!!)

Don't worry, really : your hen is "just" seducing your other duck.
And yes : even if this "other duck" is a girl.

...Her behaviour is perfectly normal.

(If you want, you could offer a drake to your girls?)

Yes, only one drake ... I've learned that drakes are so virile that they need at least 3 to 1 ... the more females to drake the better

 

[CoriM]

My girls do this head bobbing and chattering all the time, to me, and each other.

 

[Moments]

Hello,
We have 4 female runner ducks that are just now 1 year old. One of the ladies started acting very strange and has now made it a regular habit. It's a bit concerning with the sudden behavior change. It seems to happen when there is a bit more excitement than usual so it's not all the time. I've attached a video below showing the issue. In the video are 2 ducks. The one acting strangely is on the right making short quaking chitter sounds. In the foreground/off camera at the bottom are some of our geese making gentle honk sounds. If you have seen this before or have some insight, please let us know.

https://imgur.com/a/qybzZ5a

Ducks do the bob for various reasons. Mine do it when they're indicating they want to mate, when they are irritated if another duck is showing interest in their favorite drake (or if he's mating another duck), when there's a lot of excitement or if they're irritated with one of the other ducks or us (a couple of them will do it to me while I'm herding them up the hill back to our house).

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It’s just flirting…thank goodness humans don’t bob their heads to flirt

 

[CoriM]

Yesterday I brought a new dish of food into my duck run and at least 3-4 of them were head-bobbing and chattering about it. I think it's also just an excited chatter for them too, not necessarily having to do with mating.