Duck Log #4

Dear Daily Duck,

I have 4 muscovy boys (my first ducks) and I have a question. When they are wagging their tails and hissing, are they happy or mad? They are going thru puberty right now (chasing and mounting each other) and I just wonder when I enter the pen and they start wagging and hissing are they happy to see me or is it inclined to think they are happy to see me - but I though I'd ask.

I also see them hissing and wagging at each other (especially around the duck pool) so it may also be a sort of "whatch out- I'm tough-don't mess with me".

So are they happy or giving me a warning that I'm ignoring?

Thanks,

aee96
from backyardchickens.com

Dear aee96,

Your ducks are not angry. In fact, this is what they do when they are extremely happy. The hissing is their form of communication, and they are saying things like "take me to your leader" and "back on our home planet, these weird upright creatures would be our dinner". The wagging is an earlier form of communication that summons sonar waves to come and enhance their telepathic communication with the other muscovys.

Is that helpful?

Sincerely yours,

The Daily Duck