How do I get my ducks to be more friendly?

[cskotek]

Ive tried to get them to eat from my hand. That was really bad. They just ran off or when they where in their night cage they just bunched up against the back of it freaking out!

I want them to be super friendly and not see me as evil. Ive been trying with bread. My pekins will kill the others ove bread but wont eat it when im holding it. The younger runners will atleast come close to me when I throw it on the ground near me while the 3 of the adult runners will just look from a distance and the 1 adult female runner will come close but not as close as the younger ones.

Are they any tricks that im missing out on?? Im jealous of people who have all their duckies following them like they are going to miss out on something! Can anyone give any tips/advice??

 

[JoyAnna]

I'm fairly new to this world of ducks, but my four KCs, at 9 weeks, are quite friendly. They won't let me touch them, but they will eat out of hand, and follow me around, come when I call, etc. I found that I have to be careful not to move too quickly, and they began to eat from my hand only if I was sitting down. I always speak to them even before they can see me. I hope this might be helpful.

 

[cskotek]

Ill try that, someone from the one site on facebook actually recommended some diffrent kinds of treats and linked me to it. So i will be trying all of this! Thanks so much!

 

[aaajjss1]

We have some ducks that we bought at the feed store, they have always been terrified of us every since we got them at maybe a week old, some times if I sit down on the ground with worms or slugs or tomatoes the will come up and get them and hang out with me for a little bit. Only in the evening when the chickens are in bed and ONLY if they happen to feel like it, ducks are divas lol
Now I have some crested pekins that I hatched myself and took out of the incubator and held for at least five minutes before they saw anything else, they like me much better but still are a bit diva ish, but they will actually come to me at night so I can put them to bed, they still dont like it when you walk at them though, its a prey/predator thing I think. If you feed them they love you dont be offended if they cant get past their fear of you, just hatch more lol it worked for me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm fairly new to this world of ducks, but my four KCs, at 9 weeks, are quite friendly. They won't let me touch them, but they will eat out of hand, and follow me around, come when I call, etc. I found that I have to be careful not to move too quickly, and they began to eat from my hand only if I was sitting down. I always speak to them even before they can see me. I hope this might be helpful.

This is the key!

 

[fiveladybugs]

I wish I knew. We have several mallards that are a bit skittish as well. They were a bit more friendly when they were younger. Hope the treats work!

 

[Amiga]

Based on my experience with my runners, I can offer a few ideas.

There came a time at about three weeks when I became a suspected axe murderer. Thanks to duckyfromoz and a couple of other forum members, I learned that their instincts tell them that things up above are deadly. That means me walking into the brooder room. Also, predators make silent approaches.

This found me getting low and making quiet noises on my way into the brooder room, and the closer I was to ducklings, the lower I would be (keeps me limber, at my age).

The secret ingredient was patience. That, coupled with liberal use of treats, made a difference. It took several weeks. Read that, several weeks of determined effort and loads of time. The ducks matured and most are friendly, a few like to be petted. No one likes being picked up. All but one will eat from my hand, and they follow me around 90% of the time. Used to be 100%, but when I needed to spend time away from the homestead, the ducks in turn became more independent. And that is fine. If I really need them to follow me closely, I grab a bowl of peas.

 

[Missy60]

I use longer pieces of kale with my mallards. They can start off at a farther distance from me, and once they are eating it I can break up smaller pieces and get them to eat it sometimes. The mallards use to eat it out of our hands when they were in the brooder, but now that they free range they only like to come so close.

Our very tame pekin even runs when we make quick movements, but she just runs around where we are quacking very loudly at us. It seems like she's scolding us, or I tell my grand kids who are in the tattle tale stages that she takes after them and is tattling.

 

[cskotek]

All ideas I will do! And thanks to that [age with the treats I found out what is posionous to them! I had no idea that they could die from so many things! I know am going to be more careful.

 

[Mum]

Slow movements; spending plenty of time around them, speaking quietly and ....



.... MEALWORMS!!!!

Do not be put off by the thought it may take a few weeks ... they can live for a number of years, so a few weeks of patience will be rewarded with years of devotion (on both sides)