[orchardlady]

I've kept hens for over 15 years and thought some ducks would be good to. My set up is that the hens can free range a beautiful field in the heart of our village. My ducks I keep in the same field but in a separate house and they are penned off (flexible poultry wire with an area of about 50 square foot but not electrified) from the hens, simply because the hens are much more pushy than the ducks when it comes to food. The pen gets moved to fresh grass on a one to two weekly basis depending on the wear and tear to the ground. I started with three hybrid Aylesburys (they are not as big as the pure breeds) and they are now just coming up to point of lay. A few weeks ago I also got some pol Khaki Campbell girls. I kept them separate for a few weeks just to make sure they were healthy and to not transfer any problems.

These KC's have now gone into the run with the three Aylesbury's. There is a small child's sand pit and a good galvanised round container for 'swimming' and cleaning. I tip the water out every evening, swish it round and refill with clean fresh water. Everyone gets terribly exited first thing in the morning as it's lovely and clean water.

This morning, day 3 of the KC's being in the same house and run and bathing facilities as the Aylesbury's were 'extra' exited with the sand pit pool. One KC was in the water having a high old time and two of the Aylesburys got in to. All fine for a short time then I'm convinced the Aylesbury's were trying to drown the KC. One climbed on it's back and the other tried dunking it's head. I flapped my arms to alarm them all and they all sploshed out of the pool quacking with indignation. Has anyone else witnessed this type of behaviour in ducks or am I being over anxious as a new owner? Any advice or opinions would be wonderful.

[evie2]

Hi Orchard, could it be the same type of behaviour we see in our chickens?

[Thingy]

My ducks do this alot...when mine do this,...its ummmm.....usually...a man duck....and a lady duck....if you catch my drift  

[lisa123]

hi there yeah i agree mine do this when they are mating. the alysebury looks like he is drowning the female.

[srock]

I had three call ducks who were approximately 3 months old and i put 8 Aylsebury duckings in with them who were approximately 2 months old. We had a sand pit full of water for the call ducks. Within 20 mins of them being together the ducklings were in the water and the call ducks were pushing them under the water,  luck we had gone out when we did becuase I don't think they would have survived any longer. So in my experience yes they will try to drown other new ducks.

I've kept hens for over 15 years and thought some ducks would be good to. My set up is that the hens can free range a beautiful field in the heart of our village. My ducks I keep in the same field but in a separate house and they are penned off (flexible poultry wire with an area of about 50 square foot but not electrified) from the hens, simply because the hens are much more pushy than the ducks when it comes to food. The pen gets moved to fresh grass on a one to two weekly basis depending on the wear and tear to the ground. I started with three hybrid Aylesburys (they are not as big as the pure breeds) and they are now just coming up to point of lay. A few weeks ago I also got some pol Khaki Campbell girls. I kept them separate for a few weeks just to make sure they were healthy and to not transfer any problems.

These KC's have now gone into the run with the three Aylesbury's. There is a small child's sand pit and a good galvanised round container for 'swimming' and cleaning. I tip the water out every evening, swish it round and refill with clean fresh water. Everyone gets terribly exited first thing in the morning as it's lovely and clean water.

This morning, day 3 of the KC's being in the same house and run and bathing facilities as the Aylesbury's were 'extra' exited with the sand pit pool. One KC was in the water having a high old time and two of the Aylesburys got in to. All fine for a short time then I'm convinced the Aylesbury's were trying to drown the KC. One climbed on it's back and the other tried dunking it's head. I flapped my arms to alarm them all and they all sploshed out of the pool quacking with indignation. Has anyone else witnessed this type of behaviour in ducks or am I being over anxious as a new owner? Any advice or opinions would be wonderful.

I've kept hens for over 15 years and thought some ducks would be good to. My set up is that the hens can free range a beautiful field in the heart of our village. My ducks I keep in the same field but in a separate house and they are penned off (flexible poultry wire with an area of about 50 square foot but not electrified) from the hens, simply because the hens are much more pushy than the ducks when it comes to food. The pen gets moved to fresh grass on a one to two weekly basis depending on the wear and tear to the ground. I started with three hybrid Aylesburys (they are not as big as the pure breeds) and they are now just coming up to point of lay. A few weeks ago I also got some pol Khaki Campbell girls. I kept them separate for a few weeks just to make sure they were healthy and to not transfer any problems.

These KC's have now gone into the run with the three Aylesbury's. There is a small child's sand pit and a good galvanised round container for 'swimming' and cleaning. I tip the water out every evening, swish it round and refill with clean fresh water. Everyone gets terribly exited first thing in the morning as it's lovely and clean water.

This morning, day 3 of the KC's being in the same house and run and bathing facilities as the Aylesbury's were 'extra' exited with the sand pit pool. One KC was in the water having a high old time and two of the Aylesburys got in to. All fine for a short time then I'm convinced the Aylesbury's were trying to drown the KC. One climbed on it's back and the other tried dunking it's head. I flapped my arms to alarm them all and they all sploshed out of the pool quacking with indignation. Has anyone else witnessed this type of behaviour in ducks or am I being over anxious as a new owner? Any advice or opinions would be wonderful.

[rachelr]

coots and canada geese will dispatch their enemys this way so i think it is very reasonable to accept ducks will to.

good luck with taming them

[Debsie]

we saw a female adult duck drown a duckling back in the spring while we were away, my husband tried to get to the adult and I was shouting at it but the poor duckling did'nt survive, it was horrible, upset me a lot.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Ducks do this a lot and they are generally not trying to drown each other. In fact it is usual behaviour for mine and most of my friends who have ducks and they are not trying to drown each other. What motivates the female ducks to simulate mating with each other I don't know and it is very variable as to who is on the top and who is on the bottom!

Certainly this activity is more common in the spring and you can often see the one on the bottom displying the same crouching behaviour that hens do as they come to POL. They also stretch out their heads to allow their neck to be gripped. Very odd but they all seem happy so I don't worry about it.

It is more of a problem if you have a lot of drakes to a few ducks as they will inadvertently drown the female as they all try to mate with her.

As to the adult drowning a duckling this is not uncommon if a drake comes across a duckling that's not his. Interestingly the ducks are far less fussy and often have "creshes" where one duck looks after lots of changing ducklings! Apparently the highest number recorded was over 50!

[orchardlady]

Well my original question was put some time ago. Re reading it I see that I thought my Aylsburys were POL or very close. They infact all tuned out to be drakes!    So this behaviour was all perfectly explainable. Boys doing what boys do..tut..tut.