Does my duck hate me?

[DuckMochi]

I never actually knew there was a duck thread until now! This is what I get for not coming on here too often lol. But now that there's a community where I can ask other duck owners questions... could you help me figure out if my duck hates me?

I have two ducks. A female Mallard named Billy and a female Cayuga named Mochi. We got them both when they were just little ducklings and we raised them in our house in a brooder box with 5 other baby chicks. Originally, Mochi was my duckling and Billy was my sister's. So I spent my time with Mochi and she spent (some) of hers with Billy. I didn't have Mochi with me 24/7 obviously with school and because she was young and I didn't want her to be away from the heat lamp for too long, but I was still the only one who handled her. She was a great duckling! Very curious and she followed me around if I ever put her on the ground.

As they got older and moved outside and got all their feathers, I ended up 'adopting' Billy as my own duck since my sister never gave her the attention she needed when she was a duckling. So I am the main caretaker of the ducks while my dad focuses on the chickens. But here's the weird thing! Despite me not spending any time with Billy when she was a duckling but spending lots with Mochi, Billy is nicer to me than Mochi is. They are roughly 7 months old now and pretty much ever since they moved outside I give them both a nightly bath inside because they do not have anything other than 3 water buckets to play in. (Plus they get dirty and they love their baths)! But despite spending time with them every day, seeing them every day and being around them, Mochi doesn't like it when I touch her. When I have her and Billy inside Billy is very calm. She lets me rub her chest, her head, even lets me kiss her head without flinching. Mochi? Won't let me get ANYWHERE near her face. And when I try to pet her or touch her she, what I like to call, yells at me. She quacks at me in a deep loud quack. Does she hate me? Why is she less friendly with me despite me being around her the most when she was little? Is it the breed? And is there any way to make her more friendly with me now? Any advice would be amazing!

 

[DuckMochi]

Here is a picture of them as well! Mochi is the big one and Billy is the small one.

 

[ramboas93]

The best answer i can give is just like people they have different personalties and different preferences. Even in a flock of all the same breed poultry you will notice some differences between birds if you spend the time getting to know them, what one bird my like another may dislike.

 

[CarleeAnn]

I have a Blue Swedish and a Cayuga, our Blue is much friendly and more accepting of being pet than our Cayuga! Mine were both raised together in a tub beside our bed until two months. They followed me and my husband, we took them outside to get daily baths, and now that they live outside we check on them at least every two hours if not more. Also, when we are not home they come back inside. They are more attached to each other than to us as even though treated the same they definitely have different personalities! My Blue is just more laid back and my Cayuga is pretty outgoing. I find the best way to pet them is while hand feeding them. They both let us do it without food but occasionally will look at us and let out a series of quacks. I also like to go and sit in the back and let them "inspect" me, they nibble my shoes and clothes. After awhile I'll scoop them up and have them sit in my lap while I stroke them, if they don't want to I let them jump out. I don't think your duck hates you but I do believe you can help it be more accustomed to your presence and touch!

 

[Homegrown Happy]

I don't think your duck hates you! I haven't had ducks, but when I got my day old chicks, the tiniest one, Nugget, was the friendliest. All while she grew up, she'd sit on my shoulder, fall asleep in my lap, she followed me everywhere. All the others were very skittish. When they grew up, however, something changed - Nugget is the boss of the bunch and will not let me pet her or pick her up, and the others are all very friendly. Nothing bad ever happened to her. I don't take it personally! It's just her personality, I guess.

 

[DuckMochi]

Maybe Cayugas are just a stubborn breed then! Lol thank you guys for the feedback. Our ducks live outside so they don't see me unless I go outside but I do take them in nightly for a bath which they really enjoy. And then after they're done preening I'll sit criss-cross and put one on each leg and they'll fall right asleep. That's really the only time Mochi is super docile with me but even then she won't let me go near her face lol. Billy just doesn't seem to care where I pet her though!

 

[chickens really]

Just Ducks.....Get a kiddie pool.....One is always the boss Hen in Ducks.....

 

[DuckMochi]

Yah I guess my Cayuga is the boss since she’s twice the size of my mallard

 

[chickens really]

Yah I guess my Cayuga is the boss since she’s twice the size of my mallard

Size never plays into who is Boss with Birds....Its only who is bossy enough to lead....

 

[CayugaJana]

I have a Blue Swedish and a Cayuga, our Blue is much friendly and more accepting of being pet than our Cayuga! Mine were both raised together in a tub beside our bed until two months. They followed me and my husband, we took them outside to get daily baths, and now that they live outside we check on them at least every two hours if not more. Also, when we are not home they come back inside. They are more attached to each other than to us as even though treated the same they definitely have different personalities! My Blue is just more laid back and my Cayuga is pretty outgoing. I find the best way to pet them is while hand feeding them. They both let us do it without food but occasionally will look at us and let out a series of quacks. I also like to go and sit in the back and let them "inspect" me, they nibble my shoes and clothes. After awhile I'll scoop them up and have them sit in my lap while I stroke them, if they don't want to I let them jump out. I don't think your duck hates you but I do believe you can help it be more accustomed to your presence and touch!

X2 everything carleyann says

I will add I have 6 cayugas and each one has their own personality. Some will let me pet them and some shiver in fear when I put my hand near them. One thing I do is let them swim for a long time right before bed. Then give them snacks or food. When they are full and really tired, they mostly don't care if I pet them. That way they get more used to being touched. I absolutely believe them not wanting to be picked up or a little flighty is how prey are designed to be. And they are definitely prey.