Ducks won't go to their pool, also terrified of me....

[Silkie2]

I bought my ducks near the end of March, at a couple days old. They are just about full grown, and they HATE me. The only treat they like is corn (believe me I have tried EVERYTHING) so I've been throwing corn to them (because they wont get any closer, so i have to toss it to them) and they'll eat anything near them, but they wont eat anything close to me :/
Their pool is on the other side of the pen. My drake has yet to figure out how to get in it. but now my ducks wont even go to they other side of the pen. They just wanna stay to the side closest to the chickens (now they don't even use the pool) they have no interest in any leafy greens, and its driving me crazy!! they are terrified of everything i do i'm just so confused!? why don't they like leafy greens? they hate me, and they wont use the pool anymore..

 

[eggbert420]

Have you tried bread?

 

[Silkie2]

Have you tried bread?

Umm nooo...? Because I'm pretty sure bread is bad for ducks. And that didn't answer any of my questions..

 

[NanaKat]

Is there a way to move their pool closer to where they are?
At least until they begin to use it for bathing.

Is there a way for them to get into the pool easily like a step system or ramp and something inside for them to use to get out? Until mine were four months old, they couldn't get in without help.

I would chop their leafy greens like lettuce into small pieces and put them in a shallow bowl of water for them to consume....chopped tomatoes were tasty too.

Can you sit on the ground in their pen for the ducklings to approach you? By being closer to their height instead of the tall walking monster, they might become curious enough to begin approaching you for their corn treats.

 

[eggbert420]

If you want them to come to you then try bread ducks love it. Candy and sodas are bad for humans, but you give them to your kids. If you don't have kids your parents gave it to you. One of your questions was, why do your ducks hate you?

Edited by Staff

 

[Silkie2]

Is there a way to move their pool closer to where they are?
At least until they begin to use it for bathing.

Is there a way for them to get into the pool easily like a step system or ramp and something inside for them to use to get out? Until mine were four months old, they couldn't get in without help.

I would chop their leafy greens like lettuce into small pieces and put them in a shallow bowl of water for them to consume....chopped tomatoes were tasty too.

Can you sit on the ground in their pen for the ducklings to approach you? By being closer to their height instead of the tall walking monster, they might become curious enough to begin approaching you for their corn treats.

i have tried laying down, they don't seem as scared of me when i do that, though they still wont get that close to me, i'll keep trying though.

i can't move the pool because its extremely heavy when its filled up and the hose hardly reaches it when i go to fill it up with fresh water.

i do chop up the lettuce.. still no takers, maybe its just because their young? (they are fully feathered though)

 

[Silkie2]

If you want them to come to you then try bread ducks love it. Candy and sodas are bad for humans, but you give them to your kids. If you don't have kids your parents gave it to you. One of your questions was, why do your ducks hate you? Probably your attitude.

okay, excuse me? why don't you feed chocolate to your dog? a little chocolate chip is not gonna make them sick. see? obviously you wouldn't feed any amount of chocolate to your dogs, yeah i'm sure dogs would eat chocolate but that doesn't mean its good for them. Bread has no nutritional value! that's why i don't feed it to my ducks. also, we don't drink soda that much anymore only for special occasions. we know how bad soda is and candy so its only on special occasions we have it (which is not often) heck, we can go months without that stuff. I really don't think my "attitude" affects my ducks, i'm a very calm when i'm around my pets. its not that i'm frustrated with them, its that i'm just confuse why they are still scared of me.

 

[lastco]

Some of my ducks love me and follow me around like puppies, some don't. They were all raised the same way and are the same breed. That being said, my ladies are more skittish in general. Some breeds are also more nervous than others. I don't have a good solution, but they may mellow out as they mature. Adolescent birds are notoriously silly.

 

[lastco]

Are they Khaki Campbells?

 

[WVduckchick]

i have tried laying down, they don't seem as scared of me when i do that, though they still wont get that close to me, i'll keep trying though.

i can't move the pool because its extremely heavy when its filled up and the hose hardly reaches it when i go to fill it up with fresh water.

i do chop up the lettuce.. still no takers, maybe its just because their young? (they are fully feathered though)

Try peas!

Edit to add - here's a great thread of treats, things that are good and bad for them
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements.242460/