2 week old duck behavior, is this normal?

[r4eboxer]

My ducks are so nervous, they run away from me every time I look into the brooder. If I try to pick them up they run around in circles trying to get as far away from me as they can. They are very noisy and don't want to be held or cuddled. Am I doing something wrong? My chicks are not as nervous as the ducks, will let me pick them up and will settle down and enjoy a good neck or breast massage. Not the ducks! It's like they want nothing to do with me.

Also they do not have a single feather, they were the same size as my chicks when I got them and they have outgrown the chicks and are three times their size now. The chicks are beginning to feather out but the ducks have the same duckling feathers as they had on day one. When will I start to see them get 'some' feathering?

 

[mandelyn]

Totally normal behavior. You have to spend A LOT of time with them, specially if you have more than 2 babies in the brooder.

First they get size, then they get feathers, then they get more size, then they get another set of feathers... then they're about done.

I think I saw feather sprouts around 4 weeks?

 

[r4eboxer]

Quote:
Thanks for the reply, I've been reading some of the recent posts on the duck board and I am coming to the conclusion that ducks are just not really much into people. My ducks seem to be behaving exactly like ducks

At least I can stop feeling bad. I hope they do come to me the way me geese and chickens do. They know I am the great treat dispensor and I hope the ducks will come running when I call.

 

[GrannyCarol]

Mine gradually settle down and become rather tame. Lots of treats help. They just aren't naturally as tame as chickens, they are closer to being wild in their basic nature. They are totally normal.

Same with the feathers, all their energy goes to getting all that size for a while, then they grow feathers. They have to grow a lot more feathers than a chicken, it's hard work!

 

[mandelyn]

They will, mine actually seem to enjoying foraging near where I am sitting so long as I don't make a grab for one to hold. They come to the sound of feed, and look at me with great expectation. They're nosy too.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Out of the five ducklings I have now, only one will come and jump in my hands, but thats only because I helped him hatch, and he thinks im mamma. Your duckies are just being duckies. Good luck!

 

[dianaross77]

Mine don't want to be touch but they all come running when they see me through the sliding glass door. They also follow me around the yard while my drake huffs at me and wags his tail.

 

[clucksbc]

i have no experience...however am deeply into the research stage...
however..have read as soon as you can pick it up and blow on it..
talk in a familiar tone...
then everytime repeat that tone...for imprinting
aparently as they get oolder you can train using worms as a treat...
say there name before giving the worm and it will learn its name
good luck

 

[clucksbc]

i have no experience...however am deeply into the research stage...
however..have read as soon as you can pick it up and blow on it..
talk in a familiar tone...
then everytime repeat that tone...for imprinting
aparently as they get oolder you can train using worms as a treat...
say there name before giving the worm and it will learn its name
good luck
also some breeds just have a nervous tendousy

 

[Amiga]

Time, treats, time, not swooping in on them from above, time, singing, time, treats . . . .

There is a stage many ducks go through from about age three weeks when they think humans are axe murderers, but with the above, they will get through it in about a month or so and some of them may be good with being held and petted. I have about four that like pets. All of them will let me pick them up, some after just a little run-around.