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- #11
daisysducks
Songster
- May 18, 2020
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thank you so so much, this was very helpful. he seems to be pretty protective of the others he holds guard while they walk past me and he's always trying to block me from getting them.Dies he nip the other ducks or is he protective? This is my first year with ducks and so I can offer only what I have seen. We have 13 ducks, 4 male ducks. They are not as easily mollified as my females. One is very feisty when handled.
When I watch the flock he is the one who is extra vigilant letting others eat while he stands and watches. He also has a limp he was born with.
I don’t know if this will work but in the warmer months when I would sit outside with treats, they all came up to me and would forage around me or follow me in the yard.
It may take soending time being there with the flock.
Without knowing your set-up or availability this may be a ridiculous suggestion.
I know though that all of my ducks, if they see me two stories up out on the deck, they run over to the steps where I would come down and sit.
Now they make a big noise if I don’t come down. Since it is winter and I am working, I am often just stepping out to see what they are up to and check on them.
You could also separate that duck from the flock and bring it inside for a while. I say this bc I recently did this with two makes bc they had sores on their feet. They fussed for about a half hour but after a day of seeing me. Getting treats from only me. They seemed less reactive. And they are inseparable now, like they have bonded over a mutual experience. And most of their time indoors was spent floating in our bath tub. So funny to watch them walk around together now.
There maybe attack ducks , but it may be only a matter of exposure to people and their protective instincr.
It may also be a good thing that they are protective of the flock outside and it’s okay to leave it that way.
during the summer and spring through fall everyday I would go outside and sit with them, feed them treats, watch them swim, play with them, etc. they were all very adjusted to me and the family, they seemed to have close bond with us and trusted us as they would run up to us and come sit and forage around us.
because of the colder months as well as school and work we don't spend as much time with them and most of the time its letting them out of their house feeding and watering them, bringing them snacks and just stepping out to check on them and see what they're doing but then going back in the house until its time to put them away.
going with what you mentioned if they see us in the back door or windows looking out to the backyard they seem to goo closer to that window/door and make all kinds of noise.
maybe I could try bringing them in the house and trying to bond with them more as well as going out to see them more often? maybe the just miss the attention?