I asked this in my last post, but I think it got buried in my other questions. I am wondering about the hand feeding thing. Some have said not to feed things out of your hand and others say they do. Is this just for geese or ducks, too, and what is the reasoning behind it? I really don't want to get any bad habits going!!
I let them eat out of my hand. It makes our bond stronger, and lets them know they can trust me. I was at the Wild animal park a few days ago, and a european shelduck came up to me wanting food. So, I bought it some food, and even though you are supposed to throw it in the water for them, I let it eat out of my hand. This caused the shelduck (Let's just call it Sheldon ) to trust me, and even when I didn't have food, if I lowered my hand it would get excited, and wait for me to pet it. I truely think that if you let your ducks/ducklings eat out of your hand it will build up your bond. Please remember, after feeding them you HAVE to wash your hands. Also, I don't let them eat out of my hands 24/7, only sometimes when they greet me, or if they look hungry for peas. Edited for spelling
alot of my ducks and chickens when I have babies want to eat out of my hand... I have 4 ducks that follow me around the yard and know when I am going to feed them and they want me to feed them out of my hand! you have a better bond with them and no one else will be able to do it...
I agree with all of the above. I hand feed all my baby's and adults. I find I love it...they love it....and everyone wins. I also find that putting my hands on them every day and having that close to me I can see or find small problems. A yucky in someones eye, or fluff in a nose. A little boo boo on a foot. And they don't freak out when I touch them to help them out. I find it is way less stressful on everyone if they are touched and handled. I love my baby's big and small. And wouldn't change a thing.
Maybe something from the saying" Dont bite the hands that feeds you " got lost in translation somewhere. I hand feed any ducks that are comfortable enough to venture close enough to do so. I sit on the ground with a container of food -and since there isnt enough room for all their heads in there at once- they will also eat from my hand. It is a good way to gain trust from your birds. When I need to catch hold of them for some reason- I will sit down and feed them- and quietly pick up the one I need- check them over- and let them go again. It is much less stressful than herding them into a corner and grabbing at one.
I don't have any of my own ducks, but I do hand feed the dumped domestic ducks at the lake sometimes in the way that Duckyfromoz does. It does help them be more calm in my presence and I can check them over for injuries or illness. I don't do it with geese, though even though they want me to do so. They just get too aggressive.
Yup. I feed my ducks by hand, give'em pets when they want'em, pick them up regularly. Only Elfie won't eat out of a hand, but she's a special case, in many ways. She lets me pick her up and pet her, just won't eat from my hand. I get a kick out of it - I am an animal lover from way back. There is also a practical side. When I get close, I can check for injury, illness, parasites, etc. Some infections have an odor. And sometimes I need to medicate early cases of bumblefoot. Since my ducks are willing to let me get close, I can detect and treat diseases early, before it becomes a nail-biter. This won't keep anything serious from ever happening, I know, but for me, it gives me some reassurance that I am catching and preventing problems. I have heard people say that they don't hand feed geese because they believe that once grown, the goose will bite. I have also heard goose people refute that in their own experience. But I can only speak for my runners. They are such sweet beans!
I hand feed my ducks and other birds, but the downside is now I can't walk across the yard with something in my hand without getting surrounded!
