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From: daleh@tekcae.UUCP (Dale Henrichs)
Newsgroups: net.rec.birds
Subject: Re: Interesting bird behavior
Message-ID: <144@tekcae.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-May-85 16:23:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekcae.144
Posted: Wed May  8 16:23:36 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 11-May-85 00:25:26 EDT
References: <722@mtgzz.UUCP> <1049@ihuxn.UUCP>
Reply-To: daleh@tekcae.UUCP (Dale Henrichs)
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 22

My wife and I keep 6 hens, a rooster and 2 male mallards.

We've noticed that the rooster will scratch at the ground and make a 
unique clucking sound when he discovers some insects, worms or chicken 
scratch.  Upon hearing this, the hens will come charging over from 
wherever they happen to be grazing to eat....The only time we've seen 
the rooster not behave this way is when we've put out leftover baked 
potatoes...The rooster will peck at any hens who try to eat the potato 
skins.

The 2 mallards are a year old this spring and since they've grown up 
with the chickens, they have assumed that they are chickens...Well, 
since it is spring, the mallards have been trying to mate with the 
hens!!  We've had to isolate the mallards in the chicken yard to keep 
them from killing the chickens.  In trying to solve the problem, we've 
discovered that it isn't uncommon for male mallards to drown the 
females while mating!!!

BTW, we will be getting two female mallards this weekend from the 
local audobon society to give our drakes some relief.	

Dale Henrichs