Holding my hand?

[bdizzy]

Hello! Apologies if this has been discussed or is very obvious, but I'm so new to having ducks and can't totally find my answer.

I have a mallard (almost 3 months, assuming male from voice) and a khaki (2.5 months, assuming female from voice) that have recently started living in their their outdoor enclosure with a coop and a pool and lots of new experiences. The morning after their first night, the mallard started to bob his head up and down, got kind of low and stretched out, and gently held my hand without nibbling while tapping his feet lightly. Shortly after that, the khaki (who was in the pool) came to the side where I was kneeling, tried to get into my lap, and also held onto me with gentle and steady pressure, no nibbles. It didn't seem mean spirited, they still seem excited to see me, and they really seem to enjoy their new home.

What is this? Are they courting me? Asserting dominance? Expressing excitement? I feel silly but am new to keeping any winged creatures and any behavior is new to us :')

Background if important idk: mallard was a rescue during a storm presumably a few hours after hatching, nest was found dead the day after attempting to find mom and siblings; khaki was brought from TS. I spent lot of time with these babies and their brooder was in the house until old enough for outdoors.

 

[sourland]

Sounds like you are the object of their affection.

 

[BoundlessLove]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

 

[ruthhope]

Hello! Apologies if this has been discussed or is very obvious, but I'm so new to having ducks and can't totally find my answer.

I have a mallard (almost 3 months, assuming male from voice) and a khaki (2.5 months, assuming female from voice) that have recently started living in their their outdoor enclosure with a coop and a pool and lots of new experiences. The morning after their first night, the mallard started to bob his head up and down, got kind of low and stretched out, and gently held my hand without nibbling while tapping his feet lightly. Shortly after that, the khaki (who was in the pool) came to the side where I was kneeling, tried to get into my lap, and also held onto me with gentle and steady pressure, no nibbles. It didn't seem mean spirited, they still seem excited to see me, and they really seem to enjoy their new home.

What is this? Are they courting me? Asserting dominance? Expressing excitement? I feel silly but am new to keeping any winged creatures and any behavior is new to us :')

Background if important idk: mallard was a rescue during a storm presumably a few hours after hatching, nest was found dead the day after attempting to find mom and siblings; khaki was brought from TS. I spent lot of time with these babies and their brooder was in the house until old enough for outdoors.

Welcome to BYC. Your ducklings faced a big new experience moving out of tge brooder and into the big world. You are their substitute patent having spent a lit of time with them in their early days. They are attached to you, which is a good thing. They only have ducky ways of showing their attachment and biting is a common one as is flattening out like a pancake with neck extended. That is submissive behavior. Females will do that to drakes. I have a rescued muscovy drake, Daffy, that i cared for from likely his 3rd day of life after he was found alone at night in a parking lot running around in a rain storm. He is now more than 4 years old. He follows me around, comes when he hears me in the garden, does the pancake behavior with me and he bites me demanding attention. I rescued 2 pekin drakes this year at approximately 2-2.5 weeks old (they only had down, no signs of feathers) i had very close interaction with them as they had gait issues and other I'll health. They used to call for me incessantly and when they needed to get out of their swimming sessions would jump into my hands. Sadly only one, Albi, made it to being a juvenile. He comes when I call him, and follows me round in the garden, but he no longer wants to be cuddled or even touched. I think this is because he did not bond with me from his earliest days. I suspect your ducks will be like Daffy and always demand attention by biting and demonstrate liking by the pancake maneuver.