Babies have arrived! Pics! And now with video!

[Julie Birb]

So tonight they're sleeping in the dark, with the heat in the spare room turned down a bit so they'll get used to it being cooler.

They might move out tomorrow or the next day, depending on when we get the duck house finished. I had a hell of a time catching them tonight to put them back into the brooder for the night. I'd rather just let them stay outside instead of traumatizing them by chasing them all over the pen.

We got all the rest of the parts for the house. Depending on how hubby feels after work tomorrow, we'll probably finish it then. It's not going to be pretty, but it'll hold ducks and keep the critters out.

That's the most important. Keeping the sweet girls safe. Is it hard to catch them because they dart away so fast? Cute.

 

[Kaessa]

That's the most important. Keeping the sweet girls safe. Is it hard to catch them because they dart away so fast? Cute.

Yep, it can be a real pain. I'm trying not to scare them, but at the same time I have to herd them around the pen until I corner them and grab them. Last night we had to do it one duck at a time because they can jump out of the tote now!

 

[LauraHope]

Perhaps a nozzle could be retrofitted with pvc piping to the sand box for emptying.

 

[Kaessa]

Perhaps a nozzle could be retrofitted with pvc piping to the sand box for emptying.

We're just going to put in a French drain system and a plug on the bottom of the pool. I really need to move up to the larger pool instead of the sandbox, it gets awfully crowded in there already.

 

[Julie Birb]

Yep, it can be a real pain. I'm trying not to scare them, but at the same time I have to herd them around the pen until I corner them and grab them. Last night we had to do it one duck at a time because they can jump out of the tote now!

I know how easily birds scare. But why would they go from being handled as babies to this behaviour? My friend says his two newbies who loved being held now run from him and the kids.

 

[Kaessa]

I know how easily birds scare. But why would they go from being handled as babies to this behaviour? My friend says his two newbies who loved being held now run from him and the kids.

I can't tell whether it's because they just don't want to be picked up, or they want to stay outside, or I look a lot scarier standing up coming after them than I do sitting down next to their brooder. Maybe all three.

I'm not sure how much of it is scared, and how much of it is just protest.

 

[Smurfbrew]

I can't tell whether it's because they just don't want to be picked up, or they want to stay outside, or I look a lot scarier standing up coming after them than I do sitting down next to their brooder. Maybe all three.

I'm not sure how much of it is scared, and how much of it is just protest.

One of the members on here, I think it was @needlessjunk , wrote a great post about behavioral changes in ducks as they mature. They do go through some changes as they become teenagers and are trying to assert their independence. Just think of them as teenage girls. They will hate you for a while until they grow out of it. Just keep doing what you're doing, giving them care and love, and they'll get over themselves and realize how awesome their mom really is.

 

[WVduckchick]

I know how easily birds scare. But why would they go from being handled as babies to this behaviour? My friend says his two newbies who loved being held now run from him and the kids.

Mine run from me too. As long as I have something edible in my hand, they are ok. But as soon as they gobble it up, they back away. I don't think they are "scared" of me per se, they just aren't into being handled right now. If I grab one, it calms down, and doesn't really mind, but still doesn't seem to enjoy it, so I basically quit trying to hold them.

I'm going to admit to what some will consider being a bad mommy. I hate so much making them run and be scared of me when I try to grab them to lock them up at night, I have let them stay out the past three nights. They won't even go into their house, where its much warmer. They go in it to grab a bite of food, then come right back out. Last night they stayed in the pool all night. I wake up at least every couple of hours and look out the window. I have a light on (a few different lights, which I rotate, so its not the same all the time) and a radio playing, which I change from music to talk radio every so often, so it isn't the same all the time. I might have to forcefully lock them up tonight though, because its going to get a bit colder.

 

[Kaessa]

Mine run from me too. As long as I have something edible in my hand, they are ok. But as soon as they gobble it up, they back away. I don't think they are "scared" of me per se, they just aren't into being handled right now. If I grab one, it calms down, and doesn't really mind, but still doesn't seem to enjoy it, so I basically quit trying to hold them.

I'm going to admit to what some will consider being a bad mommy. I hate so much making them run and be scared of me when I try to grab them to lock them up at night, I have let them stay out the past three nights. They won't even go into their house, where its much warmer. They go in it to grab a bite of food, then come right back out. Last night they stayed in the pool all night. I wake up at least every couple of hours and look out the window. I have a light on (a few different lights, which I rotate, so its not the same all the time) and a radio playing, which I change from music to talk radio every so often, so it isn't the same all the time. I might have to forcefully lock them up tonight though, because its going to get a bit colder.

I made a big enough door on the duck house where it should be easy(ish) to round them all up at night, especially if I give them treats.

Mine will all run up to me and eat out of my hand if I have peas, but like yours will back off once they are gone. I guess it's an improvement over Peek and Poke, who will only eat out of my hand if they're starving.

 

[WVduckchick]

I made a big enough door on the duck house where it should be easy(ish) to round them all up at night, especially if I give them treats.

Mine will all run up to me and eat out of my hand if I have peas, but like yours will back off once they are gone. I guess it's an improvement over Peek and Poke, who will only eat out of my hand if they're starving.

I'm already thinking of yard redesign options. I'm going to have to move my turkey and 2 chicks in with the ducks (or at least in the general vicinity) pretty soon, like 2-3 weeks, as I have new chicks hatching within the next couple of days and will need their current space for the new little ones. Let's hope its a teenage phase with the ducklings....