My runners are fairly tame, but I won't even TRY to pick them up unless I absolutely have to, and even then, I have to corner them and they hate it. My mallards are the same; look but don't touch.
But I didn't get them for touching, and next spring I'm letting my kids raise some ducklings so they can have some tame ones.
They do respond to voice, though, and they are very imprintable, which means that if they do trust you, its a very secure trust, like you are part of the flock... Mine know I won't hurt them and come when called, but they still get nervous if they can't see me until they hear me... I just say, "hey duck duck s" whenever they're around and they got used to the phrase to mean food or bedtime.
Mine don't get treats, really. They go to the creek and free range all day and come home at 4:30 to a pan of corn. I guess that's their treat lol, just corn. Sometimes they'll snag a goodie the chickens are working on, but really they just aren't interested in anything but bugs and weeds
But I didn't get them for touching, and next spring I'm letting my kids raise some ducklings so they can have some tame ones.
They do respond to voice, though, and they are very imprintable, which means that if they do trust you, its a very secure trust, like you are part of the flock... Mine know I won't hurt them and come when called, but they still get nervous if they can't see me until they hear me... I just say, "hey duck duck s" whenever they're around and they got used to the phrase to mean food or bedtime.
Mine don't get treats, really. They go to the creek and free range all day and come home at 4:30 to a pan of corn. I guess that's their treat lol, just corn. Sometimes they'll snag a goodie the chickens are working on, but really they just aren't interested in anything but bugs and weeds
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