ducklings scared

I have one month old ducklings 2 caayuga 2 mallard 2 blue swedish and a khaki cambell...however they re terrified of me I hatched them from eggs and when they were first hatched they would eat out of my hand and peck at my fingers. Now snytime I go near them they fresk out running around in circles. I've tried treats I go see them several times a day...nothing any ideas on why they are so scared and how I can help it??

My anconas are like that with me now. They fallow me from a few feet back, but flip out if I try to touch them or catch them. They really like meal worms! That's the only thing I can easily get them to eat from my hand. I work at my house, so am outside with them at least one hour every morning and another in the evening and again after work. I just keep at it. I sit still and they come up slowly to peck at my cloths and hands, but the second I move they are running away from me. My Muscovy, on the other hand, is very friendly and loves me holding her. Just keep trying. Talk softly to let them know your coming before they see you so you don't startle them and keep trying the treats. So far meal worms are the big hit, I've had a little luck with peas and they finally came to see the watermelon and nibble it a bit today. I just stay really still, talk softly and just give treats from my hand. But I don't think they will ever want me touching them

Oh, one more thing to get them close. If you get a watering can and dump water in the grass or dirt ducks can't help but play in mud and wet grass! I keep a watering can out to pore on there poop to wash it away when there in the yard and I'm outside to wash the poop away and there all over the wet dirt or grass once I poor the water out. So now I'll pore out water and sit next to them playing and talk to them and pet my Muscovy and try to pet the anconas, but that doesn't go over well

Hi! How old are your ducklings? I'm new to raising ducks and I have some 2 week old cayugas. There's a few things I've noticed that really help them feel more comfortable around me.

1. If I pick them up I always support their feet and keep their wings under my hand. They seem to freak out less if I'm supporting their feet.
2. I've found that if I go "chirp, chirp, chirp" to them while holding them, they seem to become more curious than scared of me.
3. I reward them every time I hold them by giving them some kale, which they love.
4. I fill the bottom of my tub so they can take a bath. When it's time for them to go back to their brood, I pick them up one by one and dry them with a towel. While I'm holding them, I exhale into the towel to warm them up. I can actually feel their heart rate go down and they stop chirping and wriggling when I do this. They love being warm and I think they start to associate you hold them with them being cozy. I also usually go "shhhhhh" when I'm warming them up and that seems to calm them down too.

I have one particular duckling that so long as I'm talking to him/her, they are just as calm as can be but start to freak if I stop making noise. It's adorable.

Hope this helps!

Oh and 1 more thing. After I clean their food plate, I make sure that they see me put the food into the bowl. They come running up to the plate with no concern over my hand. Then I usually keep my hand for a while so they get used to it being around. I love them.

My runners changed overnight. Up to about three weeks, they were quite friendly, some even cuddly. But one morning, they became terrified. Some ducklings get that way. With help from BYC, I started approaching the brooder singing softly, would squat down or even - I admit - crawl into the room, in order to avoid towering over them.

They were particularly afraid of things above them, and being cornered.

I would give them treats, and stay near them, not try to pick them up, and after several weeks they calmed down quite a bit. Most are not cuddly, but a few are, and they are all friendly.

I just got 3 ducklings yesterday. They are so scared. They are a week old. My step daughter has been around then since they hatched with their mother. When I got them yesterday it was the first time they were separated from their mother. What can I do to have them not so scared they see me stand up from the couch or walk by and they run to the corner of the tote and chirp. If I walk up to the tote they completely freak out. I try to hold them today because I read to give them 24 hours to get comfy in the tote before holding them. So I did and they are still completely freaked out

I don't think you need to be that worried about it. My duck did and still does that. They may not actually be scared of you. See all ducks have the survival instinct to run away from big things looming over them and this can seem like they don't like you and are scared but really they do want to be around you and loved on. People often time take their ducklings running away as reason to leave them alone but that's the opposite of what they want, especially if you hatched them from eggs. So don't take it so hard they may grow out of it with time.

It is a survival instinct to fear anything coming at them from above, or anything that approaches noiselessly.

So - make yourself short, if you can - lean over, walk on your knees (rearing ducklings is not for the dignified), and make sweet noises before they can see you so they know you are coming.

Take a look at the Raising Ducklings sticky, make sure they get just a little chick grit daily for a few days, then offer a few little treats like shredded lettuce or thawed frozen peas.

Be patient. My ducklings never liked being picked up, but they would crawl into my lap. My ducks still do not want to be picked up, but some of them enjoy hugs.