A good place for info on white crested ducks?

[Debby Duck]

mine are pretty quiet when mating. but yes they will do it a lot in the spring especially with multiple boys

Yikes. I might not be able to keep them from mating during the day when they're together. Ugh, so far my odds are not looking good.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

Yikes. I might not be able to keep them from mating during the day when they're together. Ugh, so far my odds are not looking good.

i would say the easiest and best thing to do would be to find new homes for your girls. it’ll be way easier to find nice loving homes for girls, sadly people don’t want the boys. then if you keep just the boys they’ll get along good being with no girls.

 

[Debby Duck]

i would say the easiest and best thing to do would be to find new homes for your girls. it’ll be way easier to find nice loving homes for girls, sadly people don’t want the boys. then if you keep just the boys they’ll get along good being with no girls.

Yes someone suggested that to me once before. Maybe it was you . I've been trying to come up with solutions while still waiting to see if I get anymore females to start quacking. But I fear the newest sound I'm hearing is not a girl. I'm not certain yet. Not that it'll help, it would be 3:3 instead of 4:2. But I figure I should wait till I have all possible girls ID'd before rehoming any. I'm really nervous though. I don't want to make a mistake! What if I think I'm keeping all boys and one ends up being a girl!

What about the personalities of yours? Are they nervous Nellies like mine are, and is there any chance they out grow that? I've read some people calling them calm ducks, all cuddly and all. Not mine. They're afraid of their own shadow. And don't like being petted.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

Yes someone suggested that to me once before. Maybe it was you . I've been trying to come up with solutions while still waiting to see if I get anymore females to start quacking. But I fear the newest sound I'm hearing is not a girl. I'm not certain yet. Not that it'll help, it would be 3:3 instead of 4:2. But I figure I should wait till I have all possible girls ID'd before rehoming any. I'm really nervous though. I don't want to make a mistake! What if I think I'm keeping all boys and one ends up being a girl!

What about the personalities of yours? Are they nervous Nellies like mine are, and is there any chance they out grow that? I've read some people calling them calm ducks, all cuddly and all. Not mine. They're afraid of their own shadow. And don't like being petted.

mine are super sweet and cuddly. when they are “teenagers” they always go through a stage where they don’t wanna be picked up or anything though. drakes are the best, my boys have gotten even more cuddly as they’ve gotten older

 

[Debby Duck]

mine are super sweet and cuddly. when they are “teenagers” they always go through a stage where they don’t wanna be picked up or anything though. drakes are the best, my boys have gotten even more cuddly as they’ve gotten older

Yay! There's hope! I think in their own way they're close to us. If I sit on the ground and let them do their own thing they'll crawl up on me a little, get in my face, always looking for a hat string, or pant strings to pull on. If I reach out to pet them they back up, so I'm happy to accept them or their terms. Of course they also follow us everywhere and seem happy to see us when we come out. That may be for the treats tho .

Appreciate your thoughts

 

[KaleIAm]

I have a crested pekin. She's a delightful duck that my life revolves around. She was abandoned on a pond and I adopted her at about 1-1.5 years of age - but we don't really know. It was spring, she was already laying, the vet said she was young. She was incredibly afraid of me at first. I've had her for over 5 years, and she loves me as much as a non imprinted duck can - I believe. She's delightful. She comes when I call. We have conversations in quack. She head bobs when she sees me coming to the aviary. She loves to be very near me, but doesn't enjoy being touched. I'm not offended by this. Since becoming adults my ducks don't even touch each other, unless they are very cold or mating.

I haven't had imprinted ducks, so I'm just assuming this, but I think imprinted ducks might be the only ducks that are cuddly and want to be touched. @Duck mommy 2019 your ducks are imprinted on you, right? My ducks tolerate being touched sometimes, and in some places on their bodies. Tolerate is key. So I don't push it. And sometimes they touch me. Mostly I just enjoy what they naturally offer me. And when I want to cuddle I go inside and scoop up my cat.

There are ways I have found to make my ducks more comfortable with me. It isn't unique to ducks, I've used it with feral cats, too. Basically let your ducks teach you what is scary to them and then avoid doing it. My ducks didn't like it when I walked directly at them. So I walked in huge circles around them. My ducks don't like being startled. So I always talk as I approach them. If it makes your ducks run away or jump or act uncomfortable don't do it. Then spend a lot of time with them being low to the ground. Try not to look directly at them, as predators stare at their prey before attacking. Instead look near them and see them in your peripheral vision. Sit on a blanket and read a book. Do some knitting. Garden with them. Be there but don't focus on them. And, get them to associate you with delicious things! When they see you coming you want them to think, "oh yay here comes the person who brings yummy!" They might never snuggle you, but you can develop a very special close relationship with them.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

I haven't had imprinted ducks, so I'm just assuming this, but I think imprinted ducks might be the only ducks that are cuddly and want to be touched. @Duck mommy 2019 your ducks are imprinted on you, right

yes all of my ducks are imprinted to me. they do seem to like cuddles more with humans than they do with other ducks (i don’t think i’ve seen mine cuddle with each other, unless being held by someone, since they’ve grown up)

 

[KaleIAm]

yes all of my ducks are imprinted to me. they do seem to like cuddles more with humans than they do with other ducks (i don’t think i’ve seen mine cuddle with each other, unless being held by someone, since they’ve grown up)

Thanks for verifying this!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

Thanks for verifying this!

you could probably get other ducks to enjoy cuddles though, if you want lap ducks. i am hoping to adopt a rescue drake eventually, and i know that will be a lot more work getting him friendly

 

[Debby Duck]

I have a crested pekin. She's a delightful duck that my life revolves around. She was abandoned on a pond and I adopted her at about 1-1.5 years of age - but we don't really know. It was spring, she was already laying, the vet said she was young. She was incredibly afraid of me at first. I've had her for over 5 years, and she loves me as much as a non imprinted duck can - I believe. She's delightful. She comes when I call. We have conversations in quack. She head bobs when she sees me coming to the aviary. She loves to be very near me, but doesn't enjoy being touched. I'm not offended by this. Since becoming adults my ducks don't even touch each other, unless they are very cold or mating.

I haven't had imprinted ducks, so I'm just assuming this, but I think imprinted ducks might be the only ducks that are cuddly and want to be touched. @Duck mommy 2019 your ducks are imprinted on you, right? My ducks tolerate being touched sometimes, and in some places on their bodies. Tolerate is key. So I don't push it. And sometimes they touch me. Mostly I just enjoy what they naturally offer me. And when I want to cuddle I go inside and scoop up my cat.

There are ways I have found to make my ducks more comfortable with me. It isn't unique to ducks, I've used it with feral cats, too. Basically let your ducks teach you what is scary to them and then avoid doing it. My ducks didn't like it when I walked directly at them. So I walked in huge circles around them. My ducks don't like being startled. So I always talk as I approach them. If it makes your ducks run away or jump or act uncomfortable don't do it. Then spend a lot of time with them being low to the ground. Try not to look directly at them, as predators stare at their prey before attacking. Instead look near them and see them in your peripheral vision. Sit on a blanket and read a book. Do some knitting. Garden with them. Be there but don't focus on them. And, get them to associate you with delicious things! When they see you coming you want them to think, "oh yay here comes the person who brings yummy!" They might never snuggle you, but you can develop a very special close relationship with them.

A lot of good suggestions. It sounds like you've got a sweet unique relationship with your duck. I suppose most do when it comes to that. Our ducks have bonded with us, but I would say they've imprinted on each other. They cuddle together a lot. And boy, I have to be very careful around them. Any new object will scare them, or if I lift something and I'm near them they'll scatter. I really have to focus to remember this too.
It's funny, a few of them actually will look me right in the eyes and up close when we're on the ground together. They get up close to pull on my hat strap under my chin, collar, buttons etc. Since I figured out they like those things I make it a point to wear them. They like to nip at my glasses too. This is when we have our little chats. I always wonder what they're thinking when we do that and I can tell they're staring at my mouth sometimes as I talk. Which means they're about to go for my lip! It's always a gentle nip though anytime they do that which amazes me.
So even though they don't want to be picked up, we get an enormous amount of joy from them. They follow us, jump up quacking when we come out and sit by us while we're there. They have their own way of being affectionate and we accept that. I'll be heartbroken when I have to give up my 2girls which looks like the case.