TheChookKeeper Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Hello all! 3 quick questions I have been saving up for a moment when I'm bored! 1. Flapping! Gerald and Alice (Silver Appleyards, or something similar!) (and Gerald, previously Geralding... before she decided she was a boy) both seem to enjoy a good flap every now and again. When I first got them, as tiny ducklings, they used to "flap" their stubby little wings, and it was quite sweet... now they have PROPER wings, and they create a BIG draft when they get going! I'm not concerned or anything, they seem to do it when they are relaxed, and always have a flap after they come out their house in the mornings. I was just wondering if it was normal, and if everyone elses do it? They sometimes flap whilst walking/running up and down the garden. They have only lifted off once, about 5cm off the ground, and which point they plummeted toward the ground again, skidded the length of the garden down hill, quacked a lot, and spent the rest of the day under a bush. Bless them. 2. Reduced Swimming In the last 2-3 days, they have both curtailed their swimming somewhat. Yesterday, their swimming bowl didn't look like they had been near it - usually after about 20 minutes, it is a muddy puddle. Is this just because it is getting a bit colder, and the water isn't so warm any more? Should I be concerned? They still splash their beaks around in anything that looks unclean and unsanitary (obviously, the lovely clean water would make life too easy). 3. Exceptionally loud occasional quacking Alice, bless her thick little head, merrily follows Gerald around all day, and is quite peaceful - she gets a bit excitable if she catches sight of anyone or anything, but nothing too noisy. But she has an occasional moment where she lets out an INCREDIBLY loud quack or three. She generally does it, the runs the length of the garden, stops, and goes back to where she was. Originally, I thought something I was doing scared her - but today, she did it, and I wasn't anywhere near her - I just saw her quack at great volume, flash past, followed by Gerald, who just looked a bit perplexed. Any thoughts? Or is she just a few sandwiches short of a picnic as we suspect? Thanks for listening to my rambles... I always go on too long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 3 quick questions I have been saving up for a moment when I'm bored! - well, I'm glad they were quick questions............ It all sounds like normal behaviour to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChookKeeper Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Yeah - sorry about that - I think it's a problem with being able to type quickly... I tend to ramble uncontrollably! Thanks for sticking with it though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky123 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Chookkeeper, my 2 young runners have been the same,but they forgot they cannot fly. Blanch is very noisy though whenever she hears my voice. Perhaps she is trying to out-do me?, or a teenager . Seriously though have got a month old clutch of Aylesburies, No Way, might have one, are silver appleyards the ones that look like a tennis ball with black mohawk and sticky up black tail?. My Fred Elliot practised his run up to flight 1st day on pond. No wings then, took off!. Did not last long about 1/2 second bless him. He is such a wuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Yup -agree with Lesley - all sounds like normal duck behaviour to me - they're quite loopy sometimes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
