Duck taste and smell

[Jpat]

Hey everyone!

My pekins are 12 days old now. They started getting skiddish and crazy so i figured ide start trying treats

The question is, When you offer treats do they smell them? do they taste them? Is it just color and texture they like?

Thanks everyone

 

[Khota]

From what I can tell my ducks really like bright leafy colored snacks, watermellon, peas, meal worms and various other treats that they get to pick apart. I think most ducklings seem to go through the "Ahhh! monsters!" phase, but usually they calm down as they get older.
Such cute ducklings though!

 

[CayugaJana]

Mine put all of the treats I give them in their mouth. Sometimes they fling it out a couple times and then realize they like it.

 

[jmoschner]

The question is, When you offer treats do they smell them? do they taste them? Is it just color and texture they like?

Movement and sound will get the ducks' attention, such as dangling a worm or tossing out a treat. Shape and color are the first things ducks notice about the treat itself. Upon seeing a new type of treat, most ducks will give it a taste and spit it out if they don't like it. They may taste and then spit out two or three of the same kind of treat in a row before giving up on them. I've never noticed a duck sniffing a treat.

For example, some of the ducks that visit my yard like sliced grapes and some do not. When first giving them grapes, I would hold up the treat then toss it out. The motion got their attention and they wobbled over to investigate. The brave ones would pick up a grape slice. Those that liked the treat swallowed. Those that didn't would spit it out and move on to the next grape slice before giving me a disappointed look. Those that liked the grape slices would quickly eat the grapes the other ducks spit out.

What I've noticed is that every duck likes something different and their tastes can vary wildly, so you may have try different things until you find what they like.

I always put treats in the same type of container, like a green bowl for corn or a yellow plastic cup for grapes, and the ducks quickly learn what treats are about to be given. When they see me with the plastic cup, those that like grapes run up to get a treat. I've even had ducks fly up and land in the bowl of corn I was carrying, they were that excited.

 

[casportpony]

The question is, When you offer treats do they smell them? do they taste them? Is it just color and texture they like?

Great question! Mine go nuts for some things, like baby mice and rats. They don't taste or smell them, they just swallow them whole.

 

[Wee Timmy]

Hey everyone!

My pekins are 12 days old now. They started getting skiddish and crazy so i figured ide start trying treats

The question is, When you offer treats do they smell them? do they taste them? Is it just color and texture they like?

Thanks everyone

Birds don’t have very good senses of smell and use primarily sight and taste to find food.

 

[CrystaBub]

Great question! Mine go nuts for some things, like baby mice and rats. They don't taste or smell them, they just swallow them whole.

Seriously? Whole? You have to post a video of that!

 

[Jpat]

interesting points everyone!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Great question! Mine go nuts for some things, like baby mice and rats. They don't taste or smell them, they just swallow them whole.

that gave me a good laugh.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have never seen one of my birds smell anything I have tossed out on the ground for them Or actually taste it either they just gobble it down.