when does the mock mating stop?

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

My eldest ducks are 19 weeks old this week, my runner is now laying, but all 3 of the female ducks do this weird mating thing in their water every day, the biting of the back of the head and the coupling of the tail and drowning thing to whomever is unlucky enough to be in the basin. I don't know why they keep doing it, they are all girls and obviously they can't accomplish much. Will this stop at some point, or will my ducks always try to mate?

 

[Amiga]

They're just going with their biochemical urges. Mine still play hop on top from time to time. I think it is a lifelong activity. Their swim water is only about six inches deep - so far no one has been harmed. But if you get concerned that a duck is being held underwater too long, you may want to gently break it up.

 

[animalpro24]

It also could be a dominance thing.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Quote:
The dominant duck in the flock seems to be the one doing it, so I guess it will continue if it is a dominance thing. If I lived someplace bigger, I'd get a drake for them...and a cow and a pig and a couple dogs and many more geese and way more ducks and some chickens and on and on and on.

 

[Amiga]

Yeah! Don't forget goats!