too late to train my ducks??

[emuhleey]

So I love my 3 magpie ducks and they like me too, they follow me around sometimes and respond to me when I call them, but they do NOT like to be touched. They will eat out of my hand, but that's it. If I reach out to try to pet one of them they jump away and quack as loud as they can lol. I picked them up every day when they were babies, but now they are about 2 months old and fully grown and feathered. I want a fun, cuddly duck. Is this even possible anymore? And is it a good idea in the first place? Like is it harmful for ducks to lose their instinct of fearing being touched in the case of encountering a predator?

 

[Kevin565]

Technically it's never too old for them to warm up to someone. However, in reality yes it's really too late. The lap ducks people see on the Internet are always imprinted from day one and have had countless hours of socialization. We have to remember when it comes down to it it's a duck. It's not a cat or a dog and they were never designed to behave like one. Plus all of my "affectionate" birds are the first ones to be injured by the others or end up dying.

 

[emuhleey]

aww I understand. That's true, maybe it's for the best. Thanks!

 

[mrskrebs]

We held our Pekins every day too. And now they act like yours, except ours would not ever eat from our hand! They actually are aggressive towards our chickens and I cannot control them. I'm afraid they're going to hurt/kill a chicken or hurt themselves. I'm thinking of re-homing them. Just not sure how to go about it. I want them to be happy & they seem not to be at all. I have to do something...