Why is she antsy?

[AKnewbie]

My 20+week KC hen is very anxious today. She is normally quiet and would do an occasional loud quack to call me (when she hasnt seen or heard from me in a while) but today she is just quacking nonstop. Her head is also bobbing up and down. She seems very restless.
She hasnt started laying yet and at this point I really dont care whether she starts laying now or waits til spring. But any ideas what would cause a duck to be restless? They are in their covered run right now so no predator disturbance that I can see...

 

[70%cocoa]

Does she live with other ducks? Not sure if you meant ducks when you said 'they'

At 20 weeks of age I'd say that your duck has just hit sexual maturity. The head bobbing is ducky flirting. She is advertising for a boyfriend. She is likely to start laying soon too. I'd say that all that is causing the apparent agitation. So, what she is doing is totally normal. But if you have no other ducks then now would be a good time to add one or two more (eg one male and another female...though a male is not necessary....though your girl would probably be keen to have a young man around

 

[AKnewbie]

Thanks! She does have a drake with her and will be getting another female or two as soon as we expand their house.
Good to know that her behavior is normal. Thanks again!

 

[70%cocoa]

Sounds great! If the drake is also young he may not have worked out yet that she is interested in a date, so that might be adding to her agitation. I'm sure they will work it all out though

 

[tonirene]

my kc did the same thing.she then started to lay really flat with her neck stetched way out and would put her butt we in the air.i have learned she was wanting to mate.we thought we had a female and male and figured he was still too young for mating ,however that was not the case.we have two females lol.now i have them both coming up to me with butts in the air and it does get crazy sometimes with them both.what i think is really wierd is that they both will get on top of each other in the pond just like the male would be doing with them.not sure what thats all about.