Do Any of Your Ducks ATTACK Your Legs? - Page 2

Is he living alone? I ask because (and I'm just guessing here) he may be lonely. Remember, his bill is not only a mouth, it's the only "hands" he has. He may just be trying to get your attention, and he doesn't know he's hurting you. (How would he know?) I like the idea of picking him up to cure him. I don't recommend the "swatting" approach since all birds, and particularly ducks are rather fragile creatures.

I have one drake that get aggressive whenever they are in the drake house.  He attacks and bites.  The only other time he is a problem is when I try to "hurt" one of the flock - take one of the other ducks to put in house or treat for something.  He will then follow me an attack my legs. Outside of the drake house or when he feels one of the flock is threatened.  He is fine.  He's the flock protector...and apparently I just go out of bounds, and he lets me know!  I have tried pretty much all the suggestions above - and as long as he is in the drake house (which apparently is his territory), there is no curing him of it.  I just anticipate it, and avoid it. 

I have three ducks. A pair of White Calls and then a huge Magpie drake, Inky. Lately Inky has been 'billing' me as soon as I walk in the pen. He waddles over to me and starts running circles around me. He will bill my boots all over and if I sit down in the pen he will run over and try to eat my fingers. He bit me on my hand today when he was billing up and down my arm. If you are wearing paints and you have any holes or anything he will try and bit and eat them. He will stand up real tall and bill up and down you legs and try and eat the buttons on your paints. Also when I walk out the door and runs after me and trys to grab my skirt or nibble on my boots. Is he just being a curious duck or is he trying to show me who is boss? Thanks for any help you can give me.

~ Aspen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs. Fluffy Puffy 

I have three ducks. A pair of White Calls and then a huge Magpie drake, Inky. Lately Inky has been 'billing' me as soon as I walk in the pen. He waddles over to me and starts running circles around me. He will bill my boots all over and if I sit down in the pen he will run over and try to eat my fingers. He bit me on my hand today when he was billing up and down my arm. If you are wearing paints and you have any holes or anything he will try and bit and eat them. He will stand up real tall and bill up and down you legs and try and eat the buttons on your paints. Also when I walk out the door and runs after me and trys to grab my skirt or nibble on my boots. Is he just being a curious duck or is he trying to show me who is boss? Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

~ Aspen

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldGuy43 

(I'm just guessing here) Remember, his bill is not only a mouth, it's the only "hands" he has. He may just be trying to get your attention, and he doesn't know he's hurting you. (How would he know?)

Yes, I believe he's just curious, and happy to see you.

You'll find out this summer when you're wearing shorts! 

 

I was wearing a short skirt today when I fed everyone, and when I went into the duck pen Inky ran up to me but he didn't bit nibble on me at all. The day before everytime he tryed to nibble or bit me I picked him up for about 3-5 seconds and then put him down. Everytime he bit nibbled on me I would do this. He has completly stopped, at least for now. He still runs up to me and wants to be petted, but he doesn't bit anymore! YEAH! I think he was just a little over excited to see me and was nibbling on me, but either way it hurt! Hopefully he will behave himself now. He will be happy to know that I'm ordering him 2 dozen duck eggs. He should have plently of girlfriends now! ; )

~ Aspen

double post

Hi,

I had a Cayuga drake that I raised from a duckling, although he was not handled tons as a little guy. He was fine till right about when he matured and got his 'man' voice and curled feather. We put up with him for a few months, but it just got ridiculous. No amount of saying no, or pushing him  away, or grabbing his beak or anything helped. If I picked him up he just bit my arms, hands, face, etc. whatever he could reach. Eventually we decided to eat him - best decision I ever made =) I now have several runner drakes and none of them are ever aggressive. Sometimes they move towards me when I'm not looking as if they are going to try something but all I have to do is look at them and they run back over to the rest of the flock. I can also pick them up and they never bite. One of them was purchased as an adult, the others were hand raised and handled a lot. SO, with that experience in mind, I would say that it is just an individual personality thing, not the way the guy was raised. Looks like you either gotta deal with it, or get a new drake.

Cheers