strange behavior.

[veronicasmom]

I now have a flock of 9 ducks, 8 hens and a drake. I have a little one winged duck who is almost the smallest one in the flock. But lately she is acting like a monster duck. I would have expected this behavior in the spring, but not at this time of year. She is constantly trying to get the attention of Virgil, the drake. She is doing the head bobbing to one side thing near him. She is VERY vocal lately too. She does not want any other ducks near him. And she is picking on my little mallard also, being very antagonistic and also being very dominant, mounting her and being very rough. What is up with this? The whole season has been strange. The laying pretty much stopped months ago, except for two of them. I have pretty young ducks and most of them should still be laying or should have been through out the summer. And this behavior of Vanessa's is just odd.
Anyone else seeing spring behavior in their ducks now?

 

[Amiga]

Little remnants of it, yes, a bit of chasing, the sideways head-bobbing with chatter, but we see some of that throughout the year.

I would probably experiment with nutrients, and it would really be guessing and seat-of-the-pants stuff. there was a post recently from someone who gives her flock animal fat (from free-range animals) because she noticed after they had had some cold chicken soup with lots of fat on it that the next day they were more mellow (this is from memory, may not have all the details straight).

If it were me, I would put some flax seed into the food for a few days and see if that helped.

 

[veronicasmom]

Do you use ground flax seed or just throw the seeds in whole? And where do you normally get it?

I was wondering about putting suet feeders at their level for the animal fat? They sell those suet cakes, which are a bit less messy than the suet from the market. Good idea, yes/no?

 

[Speceider]

Sounds like she has molted into alternate plumage and is in the pair-forming stage of the annual cycle....I don't see anything odd....

Clint

 

[Amiga]

Do you use ground flax seed or just throw the seeds in whole? And where do you normally get it?

I was wondering about putting suet feeders at their level for the animal fat? They sell those suet cakes, which are a bit less messy than the suet from the market. Good idea, yes/no?

I have used both whole and ground. I grind it myself as I have been told whole seeds store longer. I buy it in bulk from the store. There is an Ocean State Job Lot that sells it, too, for a little less. I don't put bunches of it in, just a sprinkling.

I don't know what's in the suet feeders. The person who uses fat says she gets it from an organic swine farm near her. She cautions against using factory-farmed fats. So I would hold off on the suet cakes.

 

[veronicasmom]

They do this behavior year round here, but not to the degree they are doing it now. Or should I say Vanessa is doing it more now. It was kind of funny yesterday. She was relentlessly quacking and head bobbing, chasing the other ones away, and one of the new, big black muscovies, walked over, grabbed her tail feathers, and pulled her about two feet backwards. As if to say, "ok, this is enough, leave him alone now", and she waddled off, quacking up a storm, heading for the manure pile. I think she is driving everyone crazy..............lol

 

[Speceider]

how old are they....you should expect 2+ year old birds to be different than their first year.

Clint

 

[veronicasmom]

Their ages range from under a year to at least 5 years old. The five year old is the crazy one. There have been several changes in the flock over the last 6 months. Losses and new ducks. She normally adjusts to the changes with little or no fanfare. For whatever reason she has started acting very different lately. I am keeping a close eye on her. So far the behavior changes are the only differences, she is the same otherwise, eating, drinking well, alert, active.

I wonder if I can get some organic suet from Whole Foods, guess I can get flax seed there if not. Thanks.

 

[Amiga]

Their ages range from under a year to at least 5 years old. The five year old is the crazy one. There have been several changes in the flock over the last 6 months. Losses and new ducks. She normally adjusts to the changes with little or no fanfare. For whatever reason she has started acting very different lately. I am keeping a close eye on her. So far the behavior changes are the only differences, she is the same otherwise, eating, drinking well, alert, active.

I wonder if I can get some organic suet from Whole Foods, guess I can get flax seed there if not. Thanks.

That seems worth a try. Einz is a little bonkers, too, lately. She's molting. That would put me in a mood, too.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

So today I saw one of the 9week old ducklet's doing the head bob. I was shocked- seems early to me! Is this another symptom of Strange Fall Behavior?