Help- how to settle runner ducks?

[Jenbirdee]

Oh I see - I try to leave the food and walk away so they're not scared but I will try that thank you. Yes there's water inside, do I need to refresh it every day?

absolutely they need clean fresh water every day and they need it in containers like buckets that are big enough and deep enough for them to dunk their entire head into the water.

 

[Luv Ducks]

That is great that they got into the pool and are eating!!! They just have to get used to being around you and your flock. Mine are not as friendly as the rest of my flock and I raised them from 3 day old ducklings but they never run from me either. Time helps. Mine absolutely love lettuce but they all hate peas!!!! Crazy huh??? Good luck with your Runners and Patience is the key for sure.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Thank you so much. When the guy asked me if I wanted duckling or grown, I said grown because I worried my chickens would be too nasty if the ducks were small. But now I feel bad because I think I traumatised this birds who were part of a flock

Maybe, but then again smaller birds may have gotten picked on, so it's always tough to tell. The two that I had taken on were likely traumatized at their other home.
You want to make sure that they have access to water, but it's not necessary to change it every day. Ducks love a bucket of water that has mud at the bottom.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Maybe, but then again smaller birds may have gotten picked on, so it's always tough to tell. The two that I had taken on were likely traumatized at their other home.
You want to make sure that they have access to water, but it's not necessary to change it every day. Ducks love a bucket of water that has mud at the bottom.

Mine get fresh water every day because after 5 minutes they have mud at the bottom, lol.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Mine get fresh water every day because after 5 minutes they have mud at the bottom, lol.

I rotate the changing of my 2.5 gallon buckets, so they get variety!
Funny how when the pool is clear, they take really deep baths; not so much when it's getting opaque.

 

[Luv Ducks]

I rotate the changing of my 2.5 gallon buckets, so they get variety!
Funny how when the pool is clear, they take really deep baths; not so much when it's getting opaque.

I always thought they liked the muddier water because it reminded them of the river and the wild. Funny how they like a clean bath but muddy drinks, lol.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I always thought they liked the muddier water because it reminded them of the river and the wild. Funny how they like a clean bath but muddy drinks, lol.

They seem to like all water, but they differentiate between a swim or a deep clean bath, which they do when the pool is fresh.
I was really impressed by how they chose deep clean only when the water was clear. Otherwise, they always prefer mud!

 

[telandra2]

Like Miss Lydia said, it's just going to take time. The two loners you see are two that I rescued across town. IIRC, it took several months before they integrated into the flock of fourteen.
Imagine that; fourteen like-ducks, and it took that long!
Additionally, when the two freaked out, it spooked the other fourteen.
It just takes time.

Thanks for this. I got some lovely grey mallard Runners (off craigslist!) 2 weeks ago and they still hide in the coop. Patience.... patience.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thanks for this. I got some lovely grey mallard Runners (off craigslist!) 2 weeks ago and they still hide in the coop. Patience.... patience.

A family friend went to Rural King and TSC and got 8 ducklings. They were all Rouen and Pekin. Every time we went to visit them in a large pen they would all go absolutely nuts! They did the same thing with him because no one ever spent any time with them. Once grown he got rid of them. His Granddaughter is the one that wanted them and he thought they were too messy. He never would say how he got rid of them, we just saw them all gone. I felt bad for them. They take human intervention and love to be friendly no matter what the breed. Normally Rouen and Pekin are friendly ducks but if they are totally ignored no breed will be friendly.