Change in duck's behaviour

[Northern 77]

Hi!

I was wondering if anyone could please assist me with regarding my male muscovy's behaviour. He is about 3 months old and likes too...

- He loves to climb near my shoulder and rub his head against my neck.
- He will run to you if you sit down and he is alone.
- He loves to be petted and sit in your lap.

We let the male and female duck roam around during the day but when we try to take them back inside, they run away from us!

I am wondering why they do this for?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

You have to herd them into their enclosure walking behind them. This is normal behavior since they are prey animal, they instinctively run away from danger. Even if you are their human its built in instincts. When you are behind them you can guide them with a long stick so that they go the direction you need them to. I use a broom as its handy and they can see it better than a stick. If they start to go left, the broom goes to the left. If they go tight, the broom is to the right of them I'm not super close to themeitherbelieve me tgrycanwaddle faster than me. I go back and forth til they are penned. You can also train them with treats (mealworms, corn, etc) which works for my other birds. But, muscovy are just a bit more stubborn an done will ignore the treat tactic to continue to do their own thing. Also, when it's time to be penned use a phrase or word each time. I say, "Let's go in" and repeat "in" while guiding them.

 

[ruthhope]

You have to herd them into their enclosure walking behind them. This is normal behavior since they are prey animal, they instinctively run away from danger. Even if you are their human its built in instincts. When you are behind them you can guide them with a long stick so that they go the direction you need them to. I use a broom as its handy and they can see it better than a stick. If they start to go left, the broom goes to the left. If they go tight, the broom is to the right of them I'm not super close to themeitherbelieve me tgrycanwaddle faster than me. I go back and forth til they are penned. You can also train them with treats (mealworms, corn, etc) which works for my other birds. But, muscovy are just a bit more stubborn an done will ignore the treat tactic to continue to do their own thing. Also, when it's time to be penned use a phrase or word each time. I say, "Let's go in" and repeat "in" while guiding them.

My son's ducks -- he has three pekin and a recently added muscovy -- go into their coop when they see and hear their evening food coming. They run up to the back door when they hear the bin opening then run over to the coop and go in even if it is an hour earlier than normal. This evening I was over their early and picked up the drake and put him in the coop because he was shooing off the little muscovy female. The three females immediately ran round and went into their side of the coop even though I hadn't filled their food bowl. The little muscovy just follows the pekins in. Good ducks! My muscovies on the other hand will not go into the coop before dusk. It doesn't matter if I put mealworms in their food in the coop -- unlike my son's pekins, my muscovies are not motivated by food. I go through the ritual of covering their wading pool and hosing down my patio, but the monkeys will not go in. Stubborn!! I occasionally have got them in early but I have to take my biggest muscovy -- the one I hand raised -- by surprise and pick him up and put him in the coop. The others will then follow him in. But he is a wily fellow, and I cannot pull the picking him up trick very often. If he thinks there is any chance I will pick him up he runs away and hides!! I just have to leave them to go in when they want to -- just as it goes dark -- then go over and close the door safely.

So, I agree with Crazy Maizie: you can train some ducks to go in but muscovies are stubborn!!!

 

[Northern 77]

You have to herd them into their enclosure walking behind them. This is normal behavior since they are prey animal, they instinctively run away from danger. Even if you are their human its built in instincts. When you are behind them you can guide them with a long stick so that they go the direction you need them to. I use a broom as its handy and they can see it better than a stick. If they start to go left, the broom goes to the left. If they go tight, the broom is to the right of them I'm not super close to themeitherbelieve me tgrycanwaddle faster than me. I go back and forth til they are penned. You can also train them with treats (mealworms, corn, etc) which works for my other birds. But, muscovy are just a bit more stubborn an done will ignore the treat tactic to continue to do their own thing. Also, when it's time to be penned use a phrase or word each time. I say, "Let's go in" and repeat "in" while guiding them.

Perfect! I shall try this out! Thankyou for your help!.

 

[getaclue]

My Muscovy goes through stubborn streaks too. I can pick her up, pet her, etc. during the day, but sometimes, she'll fly away when I try to put her up at night. She'll only go into her duck house for my daughter, during those stubborn streaks. Yes, she's spoiled.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Perfect! I shall try this out! Thankyou for your help!.

Oh my goodness. I usually try to fix mistakes before the editing button disappears. Glad you could read through some of those run on phrases.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Oh my goodness. I usually try to fix mistakes before the editing button disappears. Glad you could read through some of those run on phrases.

My edit button is used on most of my posts Sometimes even multiple times. If I am stressed (tending to sick or injured) my post is usually a big ol hot mess of all the wrong stuff I think I probably hold the title (in my head) of longest run on sentence in a post that also includes punctuation marks.

I think @KaleIAm or @Daphne_loves_mealworms has a duck that enjoys cuddles and laptime but only when the duck chooses to. Otherwise the duck is difficult to catch.

 

[KaleIAm]

My edit button is used on most of my posts Sometimes even multiple times. If I am stressed (tending to sick or injured) my post is usually a big ol hot mess of all the wrong stuff I think I probably hold the title (in my head) of longest run on sentence in a post that also includes punctuation marks.

I think @KaleIAm or @Daphne_loves_mealworms has a duck that enjoys cuddles and laptime but only when the duck chooses to. Otherwise the duck is difficult to catch.

Yes! My duck, Nettle, hops up into my lap regularly. She sometimes preens my hair or plays with my collar, too. But if I need to catch her she behaves like I'm trying to eat her. I just play by her rules and our relationship is better for it.

She goes to bed at night when she's told to, and she gets a few mealworms for being a good girl.