PicklesMom
Songster
Hello -
We have a flock of 1 male (Pekin) and 4 female (Pekin and Swedish) ducks, 2-3 years old. One of our Swedish girls, Unicorn - my daughter named them - has always been quite small, so much that we'd have to keep her separated from our drake during mating season.
Over the summer we lost another Swedish suddenly and then Unicorn seemed to just get larger and more solid - not sure how else to describe it. She's always had good muscle on her chest etc, I don't think she was starving before, but it's almost like her bones feel heavier now.
All of a sudden she's become quite aggressive to the Pekin female and the new female I got. She and the Pekin will latch onto each others' chests and pull feathers out. I have them separated in the run and they're only together when free-ranging.
Has anyone had this happen? I'm wondering if this is just about the pecking order resetting itself, but also read this about a duck changing sexes: https://www.tyrantfarms.com/can-birds-change-sex-the-curious-story-of-mary-marty-the-duck/ Nobody is laying now, so not sure what spring will bring.
Any other thoughts?
Thanks!
We have a flock of 1 male (Pekin) and 4 female (Pekin and Swedish) ducks, 2-3 years old. One of our Swedish girls, Unicorn - my daughter named them - has always been quite small, so much that we'd have to keep her separated from our drake during mating season.
Over the summer we lost another Swedish suddenly and then Unicorn seemed to just get larger and more solid - not sure how else to describe it. She's always had good muscle on her chest etc, I don't think she was starving before, but it's almost like her bones feel heavier now.
All of a sudden she's become quite aggressive to the Pekin female and the new female I got. She and the Pekin will latch onto each others' chests and pull feathers out. I have them separated in the run and they're only together when free-ranging.
Has anyone had this happen? I'm wondering if this is just about the pecking order resetting itself, but also read this about a duck changing sexes: https://www.tyrantfarms.com/can-birds-change-sex-the-curious-story-of-mary-marty-the-duck/ Nobody is laying now, so not sure what spring will bring.
Any other thoughts?
Thanks!