First time duck owner

[AussieBloke]

Hello
I have owned heaps of chooks over the years and raised many from day/week olds, i have always been able to make them friendly towards me, eat outta my hand and not be completely freaked out whenever they see me, not as like picking them up, but they would sit on my lap etc.

I decided for something different i would try ducks, i decided on the Pekin duck as from what i heard they have a calm temperament etc. Brought them as a week old and they are growing insanely fast, go through unbelievable amounts of water and poo like crazy..... but i have had them for 2 weeks now and they have barely got much more friendly since i first got them, i have tried feeding them treats which is meant to help them see you as a good thing, accpet they aren't even eating the treats..... how do i make them or do they just eat them more as they get older? And i have to take them out of the brooder to clean it out, which they go mental about me picking them up and i am sure this wont make them more friendly but dont know how to get around that.

If anyone had some advice for me i would be all ears. As i want them to be relaxed around me and eat out of my hand, friendliness level.

Atm in my mine they are far more skittish than chickens, and i have had a wide array of chicken breed and none of them have been as bad as the ducks.

Or maybe i just need to give them more time?

MT

 

[DesertBird]

Afraid that's just a duck for you. They're great birds, but they are almost always going to be more skittish than a typical backyard chicken. Even my Pekins which I've had for almost 2 years now are still not willing to come up to me unless I'm totally still with food in my hands, as are my other duck breeds. They're friendly but they don't want to be touched or deal with fast movements. There's always exceptions, but you're more likely to have a viewing bird compared to a chicken. Mine calmed down after they started laying and were willing to cautiously approach when I had treats, but as ducklings, no way - it just stressed them out.

 

[happy duck]

My pekin is more skittish then my buffs(which is not what I have read). Due to my experience I think pekins are more skittish, but are some of the most fun ducks to ever have! Yes time....and treats! I would give treats every day. First just set them in there brooder and talk to them quietly. it may take several days till they eat it, but then you can start feeding them out of your hands! Mine eat out of mine hands all the time! Don't get the idea of them wanting to be picked up or pet(some do, but most don't). As I always tell people change is linked with trust so don't make things different for the ducks day to day....usually stay on the same routine.... What treats are you feeding?

 

[AussieBloke]

Thanks for the responses.
Yer i am not really wanting to pick them up as such just more to eat out of my hand and for them not to think i am something that is going to kill them .

Have tryed grass, guess that comes from me raising chickens, strawberries, mealworms, havnt tryed peas yet, but they havnt even thought about trying the other things they just completely ignore it.

I spend probably 30minutes with them a day just talking with my hand just laying in the cage, which by now with all the chickens i have raised they would have at least started coming over to have a closer look and some would start sitting on my hand by this stage. But anyhow, ill keep trying, one day they might start eating the treats i give them......

MT

 

[MillersFarm]

Give them a small portion of treats every time they see you, So they'll think of you as the "Treat human" And wont be so afraid to approach you or be around you. (I give mine cat food..)

A big thing that I can not stress enough when raising ducks is that you need a good drake to hen ratio.. Ducks are very sexually active, And the drakes can be pretty harsh on the hens when it comes to breeding. If you do not have enough hens for one drake most of the hens will be "Over-bred" and lose most of their feathers on their neck and wings. without their feathers their skin with become raw and scabby from the breeding. A good ratio for ducks is 4 hens for 1 singular drake, But when keeping multiple drakes in one group I like to have at least 6 hens per drake..

 

[AussieBloke]

Yep, thats what i have been trying no luck on getting them to actually eat the treats, as they get a bit older they might start eating them a bit more i hope?

Ok thanks for that advice, on have 3 ducklings, so i will see what they turn out as.

MT

 

[thumper650]

Mine love frozen peas. You're doing the right things. if I sit on the ground with them, they will sometimes eat them out of my pockets! Lately I've been handling one of my pekins a lot because he has a prolapsed weiner problem, so everybody's a little leery of me right now. They forget in a few days then I'm back in their good graces.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

One thing I've noticed is that even with my brooder raised ducks that imprinted on me from the start . . they kind of take a spell of being terrified of me around the time they start feathering out. And especially hate being picked up.
Eventually they chill back out some but most don't wanna be held or anything. Letting them come to you works best. They are curious creatures. Go about your business like normal with a duck around and you'll usually find them coming to investigate eventually
Mine love peas and meal worms. Sitting with them on ground level helps also. They despise anything going over their heads. . predator instincts.

 

[AlleysChicks]

My mom wanted ducks so last year close to Easter my parents went on a trip to Tsc. They came home with 7 Pekin ducklings. I of course had to take care of them and buy everything they needed. They were the nastiest most skittish creature I ever had. I quickly got the # down to 3 and as soon as they were big enough turned them loose on the pond. Even with all the time I spent feeding them and talking to them they were skittish. I will never have another Pekin.
Now I’ve wanted some Muscovy for over a year and finally this summer I found some local. They are super friendly from day 1 and have never acted skittish for a second. I have 2 batches of different ages and I can honestly say they are heaps better personality wise than the pekins.

 

[AussieBloke]

Thanks for all the replies.

Maybe i will try muscovys one day when i recover from the amount of poo these little beggers are able to put out

I'll keep trying, once they get the taste for the treats i am giving them that should help a bit i think.

They are very funny animals friendly or unfriendly, just watching them going about their business is comical.