Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[HENthusiastic]

Hi Folks.

I am loving my ducks, they are just so funny . I'm a little puzzled by their behaviour though.......

We have three ducks, and have had 2 eggs every day without fail. I have also seen one of the Khakhi campbells having sex with both of the other ducks on more than one occasion! Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind having a gay duck , but what with the lack of 3rd egg, that all leads me to think that she is actually a he.....except for the fact that I've checked and khaki campbell males look different, so she must be female?

What do you think? I'm confuddled!

[zoejames]

Ha Ha, I experienced the very same thing with my little Cherry Valley girls.

I have done much research on this topic, and the short answer is: If thy have been bought up from day olds in a group of three females then one may take the male role due to sexual imprinting. Also if they have SEEN another male perform the behaviour this may spur it on. May I ask how they have been grouped from day old until now, how old are they? I'm guessing it's always the same female that takes the male role, and she does the full nod swimming, mounting , treadling and tail bending and post copulatory bathing as the males do? The only thing that may be different is males do the post mating head stretched out swim, whilst females bathe. This last part is usually not shown by the female performing the male behaviour. Very interested to know more!

 

zo

x

[miller30]

Hi this is normal behaviour i have 2 drakes in with my 8 girls and the girls still sometimes get it on together a khaki male will have a greenish head if thats any help leanne.

[HENthusiastic]

Thanks very much for all your comments. SO if she is a girl (no greenish head) then where are her eggs then?

 

It's fascinating. I got them in early July when I was told they were nearly POL. I think they were a fair bit younger than that though as they have only been laying about a month, if that. Also, they have really got a lot bigger and filled out a lot than when I first got them. Where I brought them from there were about 30 of them all in an indoor shed together with a bucket of water, I think they were a mixed sex group but I'm not sure. Since they have been with me they have all been together and havent seen any other ducks. They will have seen my cockerel doing the deed with his ladys though. Yes, they all do the head nodding thing, the mounting, treading etc. The other thing is that they do it on land, not just on the water as I thought the 'real' mating process is supposed to be, so there's not always a post activity swim. I haven't noticed any head stretched swim, I'll look out for it.

It is interesting. I love them. They really make me laugh.

[beckyfitz]

Re: eggs - just thought I'd mention my two white campbells, sisters hatched at the same time, one began to lay about 4 months old, the other not for another two months! She now lays every day, guess it just took a bit longer to get going!

Becky x

[zoejames]

If you bought them as point of lay then the breeder probably only keeps the females so they have probably grown up in a female environment, explaining the 'gay' behaviour. Interesting to see when she starts to lay!

 

zo

x

[HENthusiastic]

Wow, starting to lay 2 months later is quite a long time. So theres hope for her yet then. (Not that I would be overly bothered, we get enough duck eggs from the two of them).

I'm going to try to get hold of one of the Khakis and put a leg ring on so I can see if its the same one who is taking the male role.

[Chucky1]

Zo thanks for the informative post - the subject hasn't kept me awake at night but I have often wondered.

 

We have 12 ducks that split into 3 gangs according to age. The oldest group of three comprises:

Ed (a Saxony plus * drake), Maisey (a Swedish blue duck) and Quacks (a KC plus * duck)

 

Now Ed frequently does the business with the two gals and any other duck he can get hold of. Maisey will often give Quacks a bit of a trample, while Ed watches, but today we have seen Quacks hop up on Maisey, again with Ed watching.

 

Maybe they are adjusting the pecking order? but it all seems to be done quite amicably.

 

Any other explanation?

 

"*" = Something else

[HENthusiastic]

Share and share alike eh?

[zoejames]

I'm losing my way here, is this the same group or another group that are also having 'swinging' parties?

Sounds to me like you should have bought them up with better morals

Seriously though, this other group, when were they grouped and how were the females raised? Again if they came from a breeder that removes the males at day old then you are likely to experience the same issues.

 

zo

x

[Chucky1]

Well now there's a thing. The three came as a "present" from one of DW's mad relatives. All the time we have had them they have been together as a group. Looking back I'd say they were 6-8 weeks old when we got them.

 

I've no knowledge of the breeder as they were bought at a fair (quite common over here)