What is wrong with my duck???

[gravitystar]

This is a bit long but please stay with me.

She was fine, awesome and totally sweet 2 weeks ago. Then all of a sudden she started sitting on her nest and everyone started going crazy.

This is what she has been doing for the last 2 days... Just totally freaking out:

I went to pick her up this morning and my drake attacked me... He jumped up, latched onto the skin on my wrist and started twisting his head while flapping his wings... this is the mark I still have:

When she isn't on her nest I have been taking the eggs hoping that this broody thing will go away because we cannot have babies right now... She didn't lay one this morning so with this weird behavior I thought she could possibly have an egg stuck so I put her in the tub... and the video is of it.

What on earth is wrong with my baby???
Our drake will NOT let me anywhere near her anymore... he chases me around the pen throwing his head at my boots.

Has anyone seen this behavior before???

 

[sourland]

Nothing whatsoever is wrong with her. The vocalizations are those of a broody duck. Your drake is doing his job as her mate to protect her from the 'predator' that is disturbing her and her nest. They are just ducks being ducks.

 

[Pyxis]

She's just broody and the drake is protecting her and the nest from everyone - even you. When broody birds don't lay eggs so that is normal. She will be broody for 28 days or longer unless you break her. You can break her by putting her in a wire bottom cage with food and water and propping it up away from the ground so air is circulating underneath her. It can take anywhere from a day to a week to get them to break but eventually they will. I'd recommend you break your girl if you're not letting her hatch because brooding is very hard on them, and of course you have bad drake behavior going on.

 

[gravitystar]

So this is what they do when they go broody??? Wow! They are totally different ducks!

So I need to separate her from the others in a cage?? For up to a week? What happens? The air circulation calms her down?

This is the first I have ever seen this! I appreciate the help!

 

[sourland]

It's all about the hormones. Some people use a wire cage to break broody chicken hens - I'd be reluctant to do that with a duck especially in this cold weather because of potential damage to her feet. You could try penning her away from her nest site, but be prepared to deal with a bunch of complaining on her part.

 

[gravitystar]

Her nest is in their house. Maybe if I close the door to the house during the day so she cant get in there but I don't want to keep her out all night, could I put her in the house at night? Or possibly bring her in the people house at night?

 

[sourland]

All of the above are possibilities, but be aware that she will be vocalizing.

 

[Amiga]

A few wooden or infertile eggs, let her sit. Make sure she has food and water nearby. My broodies will get off the nest two or three times a day to eat, drink, swim, and poop, not necessarily in that order. After some number of weeks, it's over.

 

[gravitystar]

Thank you all! ;0) I wish there was some video someplace that would give you all the duck behaviors and examples of them so you could watch and understand what the ducks are going through! It seems like something new every day!
Well, I'm glad I know she hasn't lost her little ducky mind, she's just hormonal! I can sympathize with that! (Although, sometimes I think we do lose our minds in the hormones!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just let it run it's course, taking the egg daily. they can sure pinch can't they. lol