Duck Friendliness

[-Isla June-]

i am normally out with them the entire time there out because i am so scared of something getting them, its a big open area with tons of worms good grass and a little pool for them, once im able to get them out of there cage there in heaven!! im working on adding a bigger area for them but its just myself working on it so its hard to get to it sometimes. i attached a picture of the add on im doing and the area there in.

That’s an amazing cage and setup! I have no other ideas why they would be so scared... I hope they get better!

 

[Vicktoria Giuergia]

It makes me so upset almost just wants to bring me to tears and get rid of them because of how unfriendly and skiddish my ducks are. All they do is eat out of your hand. if your around they wont go out of there cage. i dont even think they would if i wasnt. its almost like there dumb and cant find the door. i just dont get it. they WILL NOT leave there cage unless i get in there with them and nudge them out. i dont get it am i doing something wrong. i tried weaning them out the door with treats immediately no. View attachment 3131286View attachment 3131287View attachment 3131288View attachment 3131289View attachment 3131288

I thought I was the only one who had that situation. It upsets me also & they don't know what its like to have a different home where things are'nt so easy. This is my 2nd year at hatching ducks. Out of 54 eggs, I've only got 27 ducklings. I don't know if that's asatifactory number, but I love every one of them! Please keep me posted on your progress.

 

[-Isla June-]

I thought I was the only one who had that situation. It upsets me also & they don't know what its like to have a different home where things are'nt so easy. This is my 2nd year at hatching ducks. Out of 54 eggs, I've only got 27 ducklings. I don't know if that's asatifactory number, but I love every one of them! Please keep me posted on your progress.

Good luck to you as well!

 

[ruthhope]

Your ducks look lovely and its great that they eat out of your hand. The new bigger pen that you are constructing will be great for them during the day -- with a kiddie pool in it as someone above has recommended. I also suspect that they are nervous about coming outside as it is very open. They will need a warm, secure duckhouse in the winter -- whether you get that now or just bring in some hidy places is up to you and your purse. I am in a warmer climate [NE Florida] and so my duck coup is made with metal ribs and small chicken wire. I have a translucent tarp over it from the ground on one side to the ground on the other, but the tarp is turned up on one side in warmer months. I still need to provide for extra warmth in the winter and have a wall cabinet without doors that two or three can sleep in. I also bring in bales of pine straw in the winter. You could put an old cabinet in the new bigger run for your ducks, now, that they could hide inside. And put a tarp over the roof so they don't feel so exposed.

Like you, I spend a lot of time with my ducks. They don't like being picked up -- although I can pick them all up if I need to. They like me to sit down on the middle step of three steps at the back of my house where they can stand above the step I am sitting on. But they will come and stand by me and let me pet them and, they will come up in front and eat from my hand. One of my drakes strongly dislikes being touched -- he is really nosy and wants to look in the house and see what I am doing, and come and stand near me when I am sitting on the steps. But he just does not want to be touched. That is the way some ducks are. Also, my drakes are all more comfortable being petted than my son's females are. His females will all eat peas and mealworms from my hand but only one -- a muscovy -- likes to be petted. And the muscovy is currently broody and won't let anyone touch her!!! I think that is common that drakes are more relxed about being handled and petted than females.
So my advice is -- get a stool and sit down with your ducks; and don't expect to be able to cuddle them. Be happy that they like your company and will come round and eat from your hand. I bet they will start nibbling your toes/shoes if you sit down with them regularly.

 

[Vicktoria Giuergia]

Your ducks look lovely and its great that they eat out of your hand. The new bigger pen that you are constructing will be great for them during the day -- with a kiddie pool in it as someone above has recommended. I also suspect that they are nervous about coming outside as it is very open. They will need a warm, secure duckhouse in the winter -- whether you get htat now or just bring in some hidy places is up to you and your purse. I am in a warmer climate [NE Florida] and so my duck coup is made with metal ribs and small chicken wire. I have a translucent tarp over it from the ground on one side to the ground on the other, but the tarp is turned up on one side in warmer months. I still need to provide for extra warmth in the winter and have a wall cabinet without doors that two or three can sleep in. I also bring in bales of pine straw in the winter. You could put an old cabinet in the new bigger run for your ducks, that they could hide inside. or put a tarp over the roof.

Like you, I spend a lot of time with my ducks. They don't like being picked up -- although I can pick them all up if I need to. They like me to sit down on the middle step of three steps at the back of my house where they can stand above the step I am sitting on. But they will come and stand by me and let me pet them and, they will come up in front and eat from my hand. One of my drakes strongly dislikes being touched -- he is really nosy and wants to look in the house and see what I am doing, and come and stand near me when I am sitting on the steps. But he just does not want to be touched. That is the way some ducks are. Also, my drakes are all more comfortable being petted than my son's females are. His females will all eat peas and mealworms from my hand but only one -- a muscovy -- likes to be petted. And the muscovy is currently broody and won't let anyone touch her!!! I think that is common that drakes are more relxed about being handled and petted than females.
So my advice is -- get a stool and sit down with your ducks; and don't expect to be able to cuddle them. Be happy that they like your company and will come round and eat from your hand. I bet they will start nibbling your toes/shoes if you sit down with them regularly.

What lovely advice! We have an old, huge dog kennel we put up today. It has 3 separate sections that all 27 can live in. I have homes for all 27 but I wanted to keep the ones that need extra love. I helped a few hatch out & a couple has a disability or two. It sure is comforting to have nice people to help when there is a problem & to make suggestions. We appreciate all of you!

 

[HayleyCrum]

I thought I was the only one who had that situation. It upsets me also & they don't know what its like to have a different home where things are'nt so easy. This is my 2nd year at hatching ducks. Out of 54 eggs, I've only got 27 ducklings. I don't know if that's asatifactory number, but I love every one of them! Please keep me posted on your progress.

i definitely will!

 

[HayleyCrum]

Your ducks look lovely and its great that they eat out of your hand. The new bigger pen that you are constructing will be great for them during the day -- with a kiddie pool in it as someone above has recommended. I also suspect that they are nervous about coming outside as it is very open. They will need a warm, secure duckhouse in the winter -- whether you get htat now or just bring in some hidy places is up to you and your purse. I am in a warmer climate [NE Florida] and so my duck coup is made with metal ribs and small chicken wire. I have a translucent tarp over it from the ground on one side to the ground on the other, but the tarp is turned up on one side in warmer months. I still need to provide for extra warmth in the winter and have a wall cabinet without doors that two or three can sleep in. I also bring in bales of pine straw in the winter. You could put an old cabinet in the new bigger run for your ducks, that they could hide inside. or put a tarp over the roof.

Like you, I spend a lot of time with my ducks. They don't like being picked up -- although I can pick them all up if I need to. They like me to sit down on the middle step of three steps at the back of my house where they can stand above the step I am sitting on. But they will come and stand by me and let me pet them and, they will come up in front and eat from my hand. One of my drakes strongly dislikes being touched -- he is really nosy and wants to look in the house and see what I am doing, and come and stand near me when I am sitting on the steps. But he just does not want to be touched. That is the way some ducks are. Also, my drakes are all more comfortable being petted than my son's females are. His females will all eat peas and mealworms from my hand but only one -- a muscovy -- likes to be petted. And the muscovy is currently broody and won't let anyone touch her!!! I think that is common that drakes are more relxed about being handled and petted than females.
So my advice is -- get a stool and sit down with your ducks; and don't expect to be able to cuddle them. Be happy that they like your company and will come round and eat from your hand. I bet they will start nibbling your toes/shoes if you sit down with them regularly.

okay thank you, can you show a picture of what your duck house looks like when it’s prepared for winter months

 

[ruthhope]

okay thank you, can you show a picture of what your duck house looks like when it’s prepared for winter months

@HayleyCrum this series of photos shows my duck house under construction [3], when the ducks first moved in with the beginning of deep litter bedding and the tarp folded back [1], the duck house with the tarp down in the winter [1], and the inside of the duck house in the winter -- the wall cabinet is seen and the litter is now deep [2].
My duck coop is 8' x 4' and was built for 4 ducks [3 muscovy and 1 pekin]. They free range during the day. However, when male hormones came flooding in we had to rehome the smallest muscovy to my son's flock and bring his pekin drake to mine, and I had to add a dog crate inside for my son's pekin to sleep in. I now have 2 more rescued pekins and two more dogcrates in there: the two new rescues are each in medium crates and my original pekin and my son's share a large crate: even after removing the wall cabinet, its crowded in there. I have a piece of plywood over the dogcrate nearest the door, and one of the muscovies roosts on that -- he had always roosted ontop of the cabinet, next to a pine straw bale. If he is still up there, I will have to put a pine straw bale up with him in the coming winter--although I am hoping to have the dog crates out and all the ducks back sleeping together by next winter. In that case the cabinet and lots of bales of pine straw will go in. The deep litter bedding -- pine shavings and oak leaves -- helps to keep ducks warm in the winter as the lower levels get hot as they compost.

I just got a roll of half-inch hardware cloth to attach across the side of the coop when the tarp is up. I haven't had any problems with predators, but I am getting frightened by stories of raccoons breaking in to coops through chicken wire. I already have hardware cloth under the whole of the coop, to stop predators digging their way in.

 

[ruthhope]

okay thank you, can you show a picture of what your duck house looks like when it’s prepared for winter months

@HayleyCrum , I used an expensive white/translucent tarp to let light in. But gray tarps from Walmart or Harbor Freight are much cheaper. My son has a different design for his duck coop [also 8' x 4'] that uses gray tarps over the top. He uses old drawers as nesting boxes, with hay bedding, but also added bales of pine straw in the winter to protect the ducks from drafts.

 

[HayleyCrum]

@HayleyCrum , I used an expensive white/translucent tarp to let light in. But gray tarps from Walmart or Harbor Freight are much cheaper. My son has a different design for his duck coop [also 8' x 4'] that uses gray tarps over the top. He uses old drawers as nesting boxes, with hay bedding, but also added bales of pine straw in the winter to protect the ducks from drafts.

i plan on putting a roof on the big open area when its all wired, so tarps around the side with a tarp on the bottomg with the extra bedding and just some areas to hold in body heat should be good right?