Duckling Question!!!

[bydhatch]

Hello!
I have two almost week old welsh harlequin ducklings. I have a few questions about duckling noises and behavior.
1) They seem to always be peeping, although it sounds happy, is this normal?
2) Is peeping while falling asleep normal? (Bonus point to anyone with the purpose! Haha!)
3) Sometimes when we turn our backs or walk away they do a loud, what I assume to be, distress chirp. They stop when we show our face. Is this the start of a mama-like bond?
Also, does anyone else's ducklings sometimes try to eat your freckles?! Haha!
Thanks bunches for any help you can provide!

 

[gal5150]

Congrats on the babies! I have one WH and she's just lovely

Yes, ducklings peep....A LOT, even when falling asleep!

The fact they are doing distress peeps when you walk away but stop when they see you means YOU are their flock! They sound like they've imprinted....neat, but as you're already seeing, a double edged sword. My WH didn't imprint but my Cayuga did and while she doesn't scream for me when I put them out for the day, she does distress quack when she hears my voice but cannot see me. While endearing, its pretty obnoxious. If I don't go out to her and go back in the house she only keeps up the protest for a few minutes but she will also do this if she hears me talking loudly while I'm in the house,

Last....the girls always tried to investigate our freckles, SO's arm hair and beard, the kids' hair. We thought it was a lot if fun. Enjoy them and post pics!!!

 

[bydhatch]

Congrats on the babies! I have one WH and she's just lovely

Yes, ducklings peep....A LOT, even when falling asleep!

The fact they are doing distress peeps when you walk away but stop when they see you means YOU are their flock! They sound like they've imprinted....neat, but as you're already seeing, a double edged sword. My WH didn't imprint but my Cayuga did and while she doesn't scream for me when I put them out for the day, she does distress quack when she hears my voice but cannot see me. While endearing, its pretty obnoxious. If I don't go out to her and go back in the house she only keeps up the protest for a few minutes but she will also do this if she hears me talking loudly while I'm in the house,

Last....the girls always tried to investigate our freckles, SO's arm hair and beard, the kids' hair. We thought it was a lot if fun. Enjoy them and post pics!!!

The distress chirping doesn't happen too often as of now. Often in the mornings after we see them for the first time that day and walk away. I can understand the pros and cons to that!
The freckles are all cute until they feel a bit hungry and go for the pinch. Haha!
Thanks so much for replying!

 

[gal5150]

Oh, they are ADORABLE!!!!! Keep posting pics as they grow, which will be way too fast! And I'm glad your not getting held hostage by the distress peeps...I'm currently typing this as I sit in the pen bc Fiona isn't wanting to do ANYTHING today but SCREAM until I sit here.....then she wants nothing to do with me and goes about her business. What a turd!! Have a wonderful day!

 

[bydhatch]

Oh, they are ADORABLE!!!!! Keep posting pics as they grow, which will be way too fast! And I'm glad your not getting held hostage by the distress peeps...I'm currently typing this as I sit in the pen bc Fiona isn't wanting to do ANYTHING today but SCREAM until I sit here.....then she wants nothing to do with me and goes about her business. What a turd!! Have a wonderful day!

Oh, hahaha! The joys of ducks!
Another question, if I may. Is it too early to be worried about any pinching behavior or should we start punishing a bit? My male, Skipper, can be a little pincher while my female, Sadie, is soo gentle. Thanks!

 

[gal5150]

Oh, hahaha! The joys of ducks!
Another question, if I may. Is it too early to be worried about any pinching behavior or should we start punishing a bit? My male, Skipper, can be a little pincher while my female, Sadie, is soo gentle. Thanks!

It's never too early to correct any behavior you're not thrilled with, just be aware that corrections work to different degrees and the ducklings may or may not change, naturally, as they grow.

Our WH was mellow and snuggly, our Cayuga (Fiona) was happy to lay down with us but our other pet's presence bothered her so she would lay there and "attack" the blanket, a string, whatever she could get to...though never us. Fast forward to about a month or so old, the WH turned into a biter and remains so to this day regardless of corrections (gently holding neck until eye contact with tap on bill and "no"). Fiona stayed the consistent non biter, and remains so regardless of what you need to do to the duck....she will not bite. But she tolerates our other animals even less now, charging at them from her pen and while on our laps for cuddles.

Present day (3.5 mos), while the WH is a biter, once she gets her ya-ya's out, she eventually cuddles in for Netflix and a nap. Fiona at this point can be handled and loved on but will no longer lay down and chill.

We continue to handle them a ton and I hope the next phase of growth and hormones brings back some of our snuggle better snuggle time.

I don't think we did anything wrong with the corrections, the WH is just a little sassy and challenges us...but she trusts us enough to sack out and relax and sleep....so the couple minutes of being a butt are worth it. And we don't formally correct her bc it's not effective eith her....take a hand and place it on her bill and gently push her bill to her chest. This really really calms her, and bonus for us, she can't bite!

 

[bydhatch]

It's never too early to correct any behavior you're not thrilled with, just be aware that corrections work to different degrees and the ducklings may or may not change, naturally, as they grow.

Our WH was mellow and snuggly, our Cayuga (Fiona) was happy to lay down with us but our other pet's presence bothered her so she would lay there and "attack" the blanket, a string, whatever she could get to...though never us. Fast forward to about a month or so old, the WH turned into a biter and remains so to this day regardless of corrections (gently holding neck until eye contact with tap on bill and "no"). Fiona stayed the consistent non biter, and remains so regardless of what you need to do to the duck....she will not bite. But she tolerates our other animals even less now, charging at them from her pen and while on our laps for cuddles.

Present day (3.5 mos), while the WH is a biter, once she gets her ya-ya's out, she eventually cuddles in for Netflix and a nap. Fiona at this point can be handled and loved on but will no longer lay down and chill.

We continue to handle them a ton and I hope the next phase of growth and hormones brings back some of our snuggle better snuggle time.

I don't think we did anything wrong with the corrections, the WH is just a little sassy and challenges us...but she trusts us enough to sack out and relax and sleep....so the couple minutes of being a butt are worth it. And we don't formally correct her bc it's not effective eith her....take a hand and place it on her bill and gently push her bill to her chest. This really really calms her, and bonus for us, she can't bite!

Okay. Thank you so much for the informative reply!! I think his bill tooth is sharper than her and he doesn't mean most of the pinch. However, I will continue to punish some of the harder ones.

 

[lovemy mallards]

This is what our male does when my daughter goes in his pen. He doesn't do me like this. We thought it was his way of love. But he's trying to bite her.

 

[gal5150]

This is what our male does when my daughter goes in his pen. He doesn't do me like this. We thought it was his way of love. But he's trying to bite her.

I'm confused by your video....he's not being aggressive or going at her....what does he do when she's not doing that thing with her hand? He looks interested in interacting with her but confused and annoyed by the hand circling. Is there a reason she's doing that? My question is, if she goes in the pen and just stands there, what does he do?

 

[lovemy mallards]

No if she didn't do that he bites her she moves her hand so he don't get her

he bites the far out of her. Don't get me wrong he loves her and most of the time he's sweet just when she gets near his pen. He don't do me that way.