Children and ducks

[BoPeep75]

I have had my chickens for almost a year and have really enjoyed them. I stopped by Tractor Supply because I was thinking of picking up a couple more, but I happened to see ducks there. I have thought off and on about getting two or three just to see how they suited us, and I have done a little research on them, but I don’t see much in the way of how they are around children. I don’t have a rooster because I have a six-year-old. I don’t want to chance it. I know drakes don’t have spurs, but if I end up getting a few should I just leave the male out of the equation? Are female ducks ever aggressive? My six-year-old does not try to pick up our chickens but she will occasionally pet them.

 

[Kkrista123]

Great question! I don't have kids but I do have a duck and I take her around my little cousins all the time including some babies. It's about the way you raise them. If they are used to kids, dogs, being pet etc. then they will be happy with whatever you throw at them! As long as it can;t hurt them.

It might be a smart idea to exclude a drake (the male) because they tend to guard the flock like roosters.

If you get sexed female ducks at a young age and raise them around your kid, they will be fine with kids! You'll just need to spend lot's of time with them and your kid and getting them social so they enjoy the pets and associate them with treats or good times!

 

[DuckyDonna]

first of all, the ducks at tractor supply aren't going to be sexed so you won't know what you're getting anyway. I think that no matter the sex if the duck grows up around your child it will be fine.

 

[Kkrista123]

first of all, the ducks at tractor supply aren't going to be sexed so you won't know what you're getting anyway. I think that no matter the sex if the duck grows up around your child it will be fine.

The ducks at TSC won't be sexed but if that were important to her, she could order ducklings offline!

Just another option!

 

[SuperDuck]

Absolutely vicious creatures. Don't don't do it! You might end up....

.... falling in love and end up going RV camping and frequent trips to Starbucks together

 

[2 many chickens]

My ducks and drakes have never hurt me or my kids. Love them to bits. The most my drake will do is nibble on a shoe or try to eat our hair. he also loves zippers on our coats lol.

 

[TashaFrancois]

If anything, I would think better since they have big rounded bills and flat feet, vs. pointy beaks and talons. They are a little some solid too.

 

[DuckyBabies]

I have two drakes and they are so good with my kids. One we raised from a few days old and the other we got at 10 months. We have never had a problem with them and the kids. My little girl used to love to pick them up when they were smaller to put them in the bath for a swim. I would recommend getting them while they are babies and raising them around your kids.

 

[BoPeep75]

Lol thanks to you all! Love those pictures I did not even think about them not being sexed. I went home to think about it for a few days, and I just assumed when I went back the person would be able to tell me which was which I bought my chicks from a hatchery, but for my area I usually have to order quite a few to have them sent to me. I don’t know that I’m ready for a bunch just yet. I’ll probably get a few from TSC and just pray I don’t get four out of four males! Or three males and one female which would prob be worse. Poor girl I guess as they hit adolescence I’ll be able to tell what sex they are?

 

[MeganFair]

I have an 8 month old, a four year old, and a six year old, and to be honest, the ducks are more afraid of them! In my experience even my big ole drake, Enterprise, is not aggressive at all towards the kids. In fact, the other day my four and six year old helped me shoo them out into the yard for some foraging, and Enterprise - a Silver Appleyard drake of respectable size - let my six year old walk him out the door without so much as an irritated honk. As @DuckyBabies said, ducklings raised around kids will be very tolerant of them. A good bonding exercise is giving treats - my kids always giggled at getting their fingers nibbled by ducks.

Though, speaking of spurs, all ducks have sharp nails, even as ducklings. I had some scratches last year that mystified my OB because he couldn’t think what could have done them. (They were from my Campbells racing up my arm to escape the clutches of my excitable kids.) But those were from close handling, and if your little one is not picking the ducks up, she should be just fine.

As for adolescence, just listen for that first tell tale quack. Males are raspier.