ducklings getting scared?

[Ducklady87]

Hello everyone,

I am a brand new duck parent, 4 of my ducklings have hatched over the last two days, and 6 more are on the way. It was a staggered hatch so I'm not too worried about the other eggs.

I am really excited about having ducks, and more than anything I want them to be comfortable and feel safe with me. I would love them to be friendly but I know that ducks can be tricky.

The oldest is about 2 days old, and I have read that giving treats can be really helpful in forging a bond with your ducks. However, I have also read that you should wait until ducklings are aboit a week old before giving them any treats.

Already, my ducklings get scared and run away if my hand is near them. I am trying to handle them a lot and talk to them so that they get comfortable with me, but I don't want to stress them out too much.

So I guess there are a few questions.
First, can I feed my new ducklings any treats or is it best to wait until they are a week old. I have swiss chard in my garden that I could give them but I don't want it to be bad for them if its too early.

Second, is there any better way to handle them so that they don't freak out when my hand comes near? Am over obsessing about training them to be comfortable around me while they are only days old? Is there a bigger window to get them to warm up to you than I think there is?

Any help would be so amazingly appreciated. I just want the best for my little duckies.

 

[BunnyEberhart]

I hope someone has good advice. Sounds like you are doing right to me. My ducks don't like being handled at all but they sit with me. They are probably to old now but i hope yours get on well with you.

 

[AltonaAcres]

I had the same concerns with my baby button quail. They are known for being extremely flighty and skittish. I found what worked best for me was to:
-never approach from the top, birds are inherently scared are of large thing coming down on them from above.
-When I was near the cage i would talk softly and move slowly so as not to scare them.
-place my hand in their cage until they were comfortable with it and started climbing on it. Sometimes I put food on my hand so they'd eat off it.

 

[neo71665]

I had the same concerns with my baby button quail. They are known for being extremely flighty and skittish. I found what worked best for me was to:
-never approach from the top, birds are inherently scared are of large thing coming down on them from above.
-When I was near the cage i would talk softly and move slowly so as not to scare them.
-place my hand in their cage until they were comfortable with it and started climbing on it. Sometimes I put food on my hand so they'd eat off it.

Yep, and as they age handle them as often as you can. If one starts to act like it wants down then put it back then grab another one.

Won't be long they will follow you around in a single file line out in the yard.

 

[Ducklady87]

I had the same concerns with my baby button quail. They are known for being extremely flighty and skittish. I found what worked best for me was to:
-never approach from the top, birds are inherently scared are of large thing coming down on them from above.
-When I was near the cage i would talk softly and move slowly so as not to scare them.
-place my hand in their cage until they were comfortable with it and started climbing on it. Sometimes I put food on my hand so they'd eat off it.

That sounds like a pretty good idea. I have been thinking of trying something like that too. Although its a little hard not to come from above as my ducks are in a bath tub. I will definitely try this. It might just take quite a bit more patience haha.

 

[Ducklady87]

Yep, and as they age handle them as often as you can. If one starts to act like it wants down then put it back then grab another one.

Won't be long they will follow you around in a single file line out in the yard.

Do you think this might still work even if they are currently running away when I try to pick them up? Or maybe it will work much better if I am more patient and slow when grabbing them

 

[neo71665]

Be slow and let them get used to you at first. Once they are older and have learned you aint a threat (and sometimes have treats) they will step on each other to try to be the first you grab.

It just takes time.

 

[Ducklady87]

Be slow and let them get used to you at first. Once they are older and have learned you aint a threat (and sometimes have treats) they will step on each other to try to be the first you grab.

It just takes time.

This is extremely reassuring. Thank you so much!

 

[KaleIAm]

I haven't had ducklings for over 5 years - and that was my first and only time. I don't know if how I did it was best but even though my duckings didn't imprint on me they were loving as babies and now are very friendly as adults.

When they were babies I avoided doing anything that scared them. I didn't want them to associate me with scary things. So I only picked them up when I needed to, and I let them come to me. I hung out with them for many hours a day being still or moving slowly. They took naps snuggling with my feet while I read. I sung them to sleep. If I put my hand down they would come lay next to it. They didn't like me standing above them, or surprising them so I talked as I approached them.

My ducks still follow me in a line. They come when I quack. I don't pick them up but they enjoy being near me, and if they see a scary hawk they run to my feet.

I'm not sure about the treats, but if you've heard to wait I wouldn't risk it. If you do want to give them greens when they are old enough make sure to give them grit, too. You could just put regular food in your hand when they wake up. My babies were starving when they woke up. Then they'll associate your hand with food and not scary things.

 

[neo71665]

All baby birds are scared of everything bigger than them at first. It's a natural survival instinct.