Advice on taming ducks

[quail2000]

Hi, I have five Khaki Campbell ducklings that are a few weeks old now. I hatched them, and similar to my experience with quail, hatching them yourself seems to have no effect as to making them tamer around you. I have three larger ones that are more tame, they'll more or less let me touch them in the brooder, and two smaller ones that are very skittish, they have full-blown duck panic attacks if I put my hand in the brooder (without treats). I've been feeding them mostly kale by hand, at first only the three larger ones would eat out of my hand, after a few days the two smaller ones will too, but they still have panic attacks if I'm too close or my hand is in the brooder without treats. I also started trying to hold them during the day, gently wrapped in a blanket, but I have limited time for that. None of the five like being picked up at all.
Any other advice? I also heard that some people tame them as ducklings, then that all goes away once they're adults. I see no point if they just end up as skittish as usual. Do you need to keep working with them all the time, to keep them tame? Like hand feed once every couple of days as adults, etc.? I'm hatching more and am also considering keeping the naturally tamer ones, and selling off the skittish ones, then breeding more with their eggs and continue doing the same.
Thanks

 

[CHlCKEN]

The key to taming your birds is to devote all your free time to them for at least the first few weeks. The reason why it is so important to devote your time to them is because if you aren't there to provide a motherly comfort, they will look for it elsewhere and lose their trust with you. The first three or four days are most important for establishing a relationship but you will still need to be there as often as possible after that. It's also important to be with them as they grow. If you suddenly stop spending time with them as they get older, the bond won't last. When I get new birds, I don't take them out of the box and directly into the brooder. Instead, I brood them in my lap for a few hours with my hands cupped around them. They seem to immediately associate my hands then with warmth and comfort which is even more helpful than associating them with food. It totally eliminates fear in a way I'd never seen with any of my birds before. Another thing to keep in mind is to NEVER chase your birds around the brooder with your hands. Let them come to you first no matter what. One more option if you happen to have a large brooder is to actually get in there with them. Let them climb on you and explore. When you aren't holding them or sitting inside with them, keep yourself in their line of sight while talking to them gently. Once again, it is all about devoting your time to them. I never did treats or hand feeding with my last batch but because I spent every moment I could in there they absolutely adore me. Good luck!

 

[Jenbirdee]

ducks are naturally skittish- they are prey animals. it will take loads of time and patience, as @Chicken says

 

[KathiQuacks]

1. Movement / sound exposure
2. Hanging out near them
3. Hand feeding

1. I have a suspicion that exposure to big, harmless movement / loud, harmless sound helps a ton. This is best in the form of getting to see / hear you, or any other animals you have, every day. They learn that this movement / sound is normal, and that it’s nothing to be afraid of.

2. Hangout near them. You don’t need to do anything special, or act a certain way, or even really interact with them that much. Just let them walk around you, poke at you, chew on you, and climb on you however they’d like. I like to look at my phone / tablet during this time, maybe talk on the phone, sing, etc.

3. Hand feed them tasty treats every now and then. You can use word association to help them understand and get them to come when called. This works for their main food, too - For main food, I say “Food-food!” and treats, I say “Treat-treats!”

My first ducks / ducklings did not get much exposure to anything when they were young.. I barely hung out with them, either - for the most part, they were left to their own devices. They were quite skittish, and only a few would eat from my hand. The one broody girl I had always gave me nasty bites.

Compared to my current ducks, they were all raised near big, calm farm animals, and they are able to see me / my dogs most of the day. I hangout near them every day, and I hand feed them most days. They are the sweetest, calmest ducks I’ve ever had. They walk around me, follow me, come when called.. My broody girls will at MOST hiss at me - I’ve never been bit by these gals.

It’s a great experience.. 100% raising all future ducklings this way.

 

[quail2000]

The key to taming your birds is to devote all your free time to them for at least the first few weeks. The reason why it is so important to devote your time to them is because if you aren't there to provide a motherly comfort, they will look for it elsewhere and lose their trust with you. The first three or four days are most important for establishing a relationship but you will still need to be there as often as possible after that. It's also important to be with them as they grow. If you suddenly stop spending time with them as they get older, the bond won't last. When I get new birds, I don't take them out of the box and directly into the brooder. Instead, I brood them in my lap for a few hours with my hands cupped around them. They seem to immediately associate my hands then with warmth and comfort which is even more helpful than associating them with food. It totally eliminates fear in a way I'd never seen with any of my birds before. Another thing to keep in mind is to NEVER chase your birds around the brooder with your hands. Let them come to you first no matter what. One more option if you happen to have a large brooder is to actually get in there with them. Let them climb on you and explore. When you aren't holding them or sitting inside with them, keep yourself in their line of sight while talking to them gently. Once again, it is all about devoting your time to them. I never did treats or hand feeding with my last batch but because I spent every moment I could in there they absolutely adore me. Good luck!

Good on you for that level of commitment, but I think that's way beyond what I could muster.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Good on you for that level of commitment, but I think that's way beyond what I could muster.

Of course, and it's certainly nothing more than a suggestion. I doubt many people are able to spend as much time as I was able to but I do strongly recommend at least dedicating as much of your time as possible for the first few days. Even spending just a couple of hours every day with them can make a difference.