Handling ducklings

[Quacks and Waddles]

I have 3 three week old Call ducklings and I’m getting conflicting advice on how much to handle them. Some tell me to pick them up as often as possible. Others say not to chase them, which of course I have to do in order to pick them up. They don’t particularly like being held, so I’m trying to go slow and put my hand near them while they eat, since it’s the hands they are afraid of. I sit with them, talk to them all of the time since they are in my bathroom. They all come running to me first thing in the morning but it’s the picking up thing! Any suggestions?

 

[Cassandra Lana]

Could you get on there level? I have read articles for chickens that hand from above are like predators and therefore are scary.

 

[Salixx]

TSC finally got ducklings in my store again and I picked up 6 adorable little Khaki Campbell’s this last Tuesday.

I brooded my chicks in my greenhouse and started the ducks there. Tuesday and Wednesday they were terrified of me to a point. They would forget their terror briefly if I offered then some fresh grass cuttings but never wanted to be touched.

Wednesday they got moved into the house and placed next to a high traffic door. My S/O and I want friendly, cuddle ducks if possible and I’ve read khakis tend to be skittish so I knew that I need to start early. They were already a week old at this point and passed the normal “imprinting” period.

I have them in a wire dog crate with the bottom half covered by rubber mats I zip tied to it. The set up keeps them contained and protected from my dogs and cat but allows them to see most of the goings on in the house.

Then I defrosted some green peas and went to work. There’s always a brave duck or two. I started just tossing them in while talking to them. Then I held my hand flat in their brooder and let them go crazy. After a while I would catch one and offer it a pea while in my lap and in view of the others. If it was too scared, I put it back with its friends. I have two “brave” ducklings that have brought the others around slowly. They all nibble my fingers and preen me to some extent now. One now asks to be picked up and cuddled and I am just in love . Just like the first two days, they will awake from a dead sleep when they hear my voice but now they rush the door and peep at me for treats and love instead of hiding in the corner in fear.

Another thing I did was talk to then whenever I was passing by the crate so that I didn’t startle them by appearing out of nowhere.

These are my first ducks (and my chicks my first as well) but I try to put myself in their mindset. I am a threat until proven otherwise. To some extent, forced handling will work but some trust needed to be built before that and there needs to be a big payoff for giving me that trust when we get to being picked up.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

My first two ducks lived in the house the first month. They would crowd against the glass (they where in a fish tank) and peep at me when ever I left the room.