Does anyone actually have tame ducks?

[Amiga]

Our ducks are very tame. The rescue Buffs are very very shy, but everyone is pretty mellow.

Regarding mess - I have 13 ducks that are inside quite a bit in the winter. I use a watering station.

Actually I have sixteen, 13 and 3 - each flock has a watering station.

This keeps the bedding pretty dry. I spot pick daily, and while we do go through more bedding in winter, it's not that much more than summertime. You may also want to try just a little Sweet PDZ under the bedding.

 

[jools2014]

Hi thanks for the tips regarding the water-really useful, I bet it works really well, will have to set something similar up. I just cleaned them out a bit today and they didn't mind too much. It's much cleaner in there now. I spoke very softly and they weren't as skittish as usual so it worked. I also got my old 2 to eat treats out of my hand-the others weren't interested lol.

I'm sure they make great pets for some people and my old 2 are ok but I went and ruined it by getting 3 more. I was almost going to sell the new ones then decided against it and then we got the bird flu thing so no chance now. I doubt I'd even have been able to sell them before bird flu. Before anyone thinks I'm not a good owner I've spent hundreds on these birds-the food, bedding, trips to the vet-one of which cost me 200 pounds, so yeh. I just wouldn't get them again that's for sure. No need to feel sad for me though..

 

[Adalida]

I don't think anyone thinks you're a bad owner at all. I have to say, I felt bad for you reading your posts, because tame ducks are an absolute joy!

My Rouens are completely tame, they come running when they see us, eat out of our hands, and tolerate petting. One of them lets us pick her up, the other one will make a half hearted effort to get away but we can still pick her up easily. We raised them from babies. Then we got five Indian Runner mixes who were a few months old, and they would go bonkers with fright when they saw us. Shrieking in terror, trying to get away, and if we ever had to catch one, they would thrash wildly in panic. Over time they got more used to us, but never friendly, and if we walked near them, they'd run away. Here's the funny thing though. For over a year, the five Runners didn't warm up to us. I kind of accepted it, although I was puzzled because I saw people on here who had very tame Runners. One of my Runners was a drake, who started getting too aggressive with the girls, so I rehomed him. And overnight, the dynamic changed! Suddenly the remaining Runners weren't skittish. I guess that the drake I got rid of, must have always been warning the other ducks to stay away or something. The Runners now come over when I'm tossing treats, they'll come close to me to get them; and if I walk right by them, they don't run away. It's like they're totally different ducks, now that the one drake is gone. I still have a Runner drake left, so it's not that they changed because there's no drake around. It was something about that one drake in particular, that kept everyone else scared of people.

 

[Poultrylord]

You could talk to incubated eggs to attempt to get an imprinted drake. I have one drake who is probably a Khaki Campbell/White Call cross,(No pictures on me at the moment.) and he's a little shy, but he will try to nibble my boot because he thinks i'm a female, and he will fall back sometimes because he's afraid of being caught! Brownie is his name.

 

[buff goose guy]

All of our ducks are very tame, and we have 47 which sounds like a lot but once you see all of them it's really not.

Wow, how do you keep everything clean? They make such a mess! I knew this before I had ducks but am really struggling right now due to bird flu restrictions and having to keep them inside. I am going through bedding 3x as fast. Even when they were outside they make everything wet and muddy-again I knew this before I got them, but I think maybe I underestimated it! I wouldn't mind so much if i got anything back from them but atm it's just work and expense and no thanks from them just them running away. Frustrating.

Easy I have aviaries for my mallards and for my call ducks, which are very large but clean up is a breeze when they only mess up a small area of that large space! Also you can plant plants that will easily soak up the excess moisture from the ground so mud never really stays for too long .And for our muscovies they free range during the day and go up at night so I only have to clean their coop weekly,

But water changes happen everyday of course!

 

[chickens really]

Hi thanks for the tips regarding the water-really useful, I bet it works really well, will have to set something similar up. I just cleaned them out a bit today and they didn't mind too much. It's much cleaner in there now. I spoke very softly and they weren't as skittish as usual so it worked. I also got my old 2 to eat treats out of my hand-the others weren't interested lol.

I'm sure they make great pets for some people and my old 2 are ok but I went and ruined it by getting 3 more. I was almost going to sell the new ones then decided against it and then we got the bird flu thing so no chance now. I doubt I'd even have been able to sell them before bird flu. Before anyone thinks I'm not a good owner I've spent hundreds on these birds-the food, bedding, trips to the vet-one of which cost me 200 pounds, so yeh. I just wouldn't get them again that's for sure. No need to feel sad for me though..

Hello, if you were referring to my reply??
No, I never thought your a bad owner at all.......just a bit stressed out by the Ducks not loving you the way you had hoped they would.......keep trying and I am sure they will surprise you one day and be the good Ducks your wanting.....


Best of Luck....


Cheers!!!

 

[NathanZee]

Most of my ducks are very tame, they will come to me for treats and don't mind walking near me. They don't exactly love being held, but they don't put up a fight.

 

[jools2014]

Well my old ducks used to come running to see me but then run away if I walked towards them lol. Now no chance with the new ones-one is a drake, maybe has something to do with it. They stress me out for sure but then everything stresses me out lol-I don't get stressed in front of them though. I guess it will be better when they get let out at the end of the month when the bird flu restrictions are lifted-the mess they make is probably the worst thing, which will be greatly reduced when I get them outside again during the day.

 

[Glaseria]

I have very tame Ducks.....6 Ducks.....how old are your Ducks?
Fast movements above their heads scare them. Slow movements and being calm is what they need. If you got them as older Ducks? Or if they are between the ages of 2 to 3 months the get the Ginger Man syndrome and run like your a beast....they then calm down again as though it never happened........
Feeding treats to them tossed out in front of you, such as peas, dry cat food, lettuce etc....Will condition them to trust you.....The more frustrated you get the longer it will take....

I love Ducks.....excellent pets....

Sorry your having a hard time........


Cheers!

Thanks for the treat ideas. I will have to give some of those a go! I wonder if high quality dry dog food would also work? I know koi pellets work!

Sincerely,
Your Fellow Homesteader,
Glaseria

...

 

[chickens really]

I have very tame Ducks.....6 Ducks.....how old are your Ducks?
Fast movements above their heads scare them. Slow movements and being calm is what they need. If you got them as older Ducks? Or if they are between the ages of 2 to 3 months the get the Ginger Man syndrome and run like your a beast....they then calm down again as though it never happened........
Feeding treats to them tossed out in front of you, such as peas, dry cat food, lettuce etc....Will condition them to trust you.....The more frustrated you get the longer it will take....

I love Ducks.....excellent pets....

Sorry your having a hard time........


Cheers!

Thanks for the treat ideas. I will have to give some of those a go! I wonder if high quality dry dog food would also work? I know koi pellets work!

Sincerely,
Your Fellow Homesteader,
Glaseria

...

I know others feed dry dog food.....you just have to make sure they won't choke on the size of the kibble.....I use fish based dry cat food....smaller kibbles.......



Best of luck......