are my ducks just spoiled?

[girlburd]

I'm a first time duck owner and got my first two Pekin ducks about 2 1/2 months ago...Daffy and Daisy are doing great except they want nothing to do with my nice big pond or the water that is in it!! They loved swimming in the bath tub, then their small kiddie pool, then the horse's water tank but when it came time to move them to the pond they won't touch it with a 10 foot pole. I even tried filling their kiddie pool with pond water and they wouldn't go in...if I fill it with the hose I can't get them out! Any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm a first time duck owner and got my first two Pekin ducks about 2 1/2 months ago...Daffy and Daisy are doing great except they want nothing to do with my nice big pond or the water that is in it!! They loved swimming in the bath tub, then their small kiddie pool, then the horse's water tank but when it came time to move them to the pond they won't touch it with a 10 foot pole. I even tried filling their kiddie pool with pond water and they wouldn't go in...if I fill it with the hose I can't get them out! Any ideas?

Are you talking about a large pond or man made? because at 21/2 months old they are to young to be on a pond by themselves, something will either snatch them from the sky or pull them under or be waiting in the bushes on land for when they come out. They haven't even feathered out completely. I would just continue with the kidde pool for a few more months then if it was me I'd still be concerned about them on a large pond with snapping turtle and no telling what else. I imagine pond is pretty scary to to young ducklings. Please don't think I am fussing at you just hoping you see the caution in waiting a while before sending them in. And

 

[Amiga]

In answer to your thread title,

I sure hope so!!!

As an overprotective duck mom, I sure do hope so!

And, as kindly as I can say it (text just does NOT convey feelings well), I agree with Miss Lydia. The ducks are probably telling you something does not feel safe about the pond. Could be they can sense the presence of predators by the aroma of the water.

Earlier today, Funfie gave the low level alarm call. I went out, saw nothing but a flock of ducks on minor alert, looking at me as if to say, "don't you feel it? Something is not right! " I trust that they know when something is not right. I may not see it as a threat, but they are all but completely defenseless.

Now, tell us all about Daffy and Daisy!! Favorite treats? Hobbies?

 

[girlburd]

First of all thanks guys to your insight....I had no idea what I was getting into when I got these guys!! I'm pretty good with all the four legged creatures, infact I have cats dogs and horses now (and 3 chicks) but had no idea demanding and how much personality these guys would have!

It's been a blast learning about them. I got Daffers and Daisy Mae March 9th along with my 3 chicks and with in two weeks was panicing because they out grew their "inside" home so one long night of turning the living room into a construction site (it was snowing out) I managed to throw together what is now the chicken coop but then served as a bigger house for the duckies. That was also when they started getting their 5 min swims in the bathtub...which worked out for about 2 weeks then panic again! They way out grew their inside home AND the tub!

A couple of heat lamps and one long day this time (and some great weather) I got the outside chicken/duck pen set up and graduated the duckies to their small kiddie pool. By now I got the idea that they are growing at the rate of an alien baby lol so I started thinking ahead this time to the "duck pen" which was supose to be a 3 sided deal with the fourth side being the pond (which is man made, I actually just had it dug out a little bit bigger and deeper last summer but by no means is huge). In the mean time...yup out grew their small kiddie pool and the pen wasn't big enough for a larger one so one day I had a brilliant thought...how bout the horses tank...and they loved it!! They could actually swim and dive and do their ducky things....but out grew it quickly. That's when I said shoot...looks like pond time. Well we know how that worked out lol...they now have a nice big kiddie pool set up in a nice big pen with a dog house that they love and are living it up!

I work at a fruit market so we've been experimenting with all sorts of treats but lettuce is the big winner!! They also LOVE it when I run the hose in their pool to clean it out (it's too big to empty every day so I just run the hose in it for about 20 mins and works pretty good) because it creates their own little swamp that they can dig their bills in! They also made a new best friend (they were pretty attached to the chickens) my black cat Teller...I often find the three of them curled up in the dog house or just hangin in the shade!! Ironically my grey and white cat Zepher has made friends with the chickens...who'da thunk!

 

[Diamond88]

Girlburd, sounds like you and your ducks are having a great time together! I am new to ducks too, and watching their goofy antics has been so much fun. It's kind of sad that they grow so fast because ducklings are so adorable, but at the same time, it's fun to see what they do when they're more independent too. I'm dying to see a photo of your ducks and cat snuggling together!

 

[Blondiega1]

Let me tell you what we did based on the advice of someone on here actually!

Mine didn't want to go to the lake either. We still call them our Land Ducks. LOL
So we built a pen down at the lake with a run going out into the water.
Everyday, the ducks came out of their inside pen and went into the outside pen on the lake.

Two weeks later we removed the fencing and PRESTO!!! Ducks stayed on lake!!
They still prefer to stay on the waters edge or not go out too far, but they are at least only PARTIAL land ducks now! LOL

 

[girlburd]

<object width="352" height="288" ><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/3363589329258" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/3363589329258" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="352" height="288"></embed></object> recent video of Daffy and Daisy!