The No-Neck Duck

[wildpeas]

For the past few days we have been taking the peeps(3 weeks) in the backyard with the monkeys(7 weeks) during outside time to get them used to each other. Its going ok. I have to stand guard a little bit because the monkeys, especially the campbell, will sometimes charge the peeps and try to bowl them over. The monkeys seem to dislike the goslings the most.

One of the monkeys, a rouen, will walk around with her head sucked into her body whenever she is near the peeps. She literally looks like she has no neck. She also likes to puff her feathers out until she resembles a very small turkey. I'm guessing this isn't friendly behavior. I am hoping to be able to put the duckling peeps in with the monkeys in a few more weeks permanently. They will eventually get along right?

 

[ducksinarow]

I have a female campbell that does that. I thought it was so the drake could not grab her as easily. She looks kind of strange but she does not seem to care. lol

 

[Mike Winters]

they usually do that when they go near a male that is interested in them and they want no part off. but to the drake that usually means shes playing hard to get

 

[wildpeas]

That's really interesting, everyone is female. I have also noticed that a couple of the other older ones will arch their necks and shake their neck feathers at the babies. Usually right before they charge.

 

[Wynette]

The puffing up sounds like what a hen does when she's broody.

Also - "monkeys" - forgive me, but is that a slang term duck folks use for adult ducks?

 

[wildpeas]

The puffing up sounds like what a hen does when she's broody.

Also - "monkeys" - forgive me, but is that a slang term duck folks use for adult ducks?

No, its just what we call our older ducklings. It makes it easier for us when talking about them, for example:
"The monkeys went out already but the peeps still need to play." Me to my husband when I have to go to town. We have two groups in two different brooders and its just faster than saying 'the older ducklings' and 'the younger ducklings'. Also when the monkeys started to quack they went through a phase where they sounded like little monkeys talking to each other. Kind of like this:

http://www.psych.upenn.edu/~seyfarth/Baboon research/female social calls.htm (click on a monkey)