How do I get my ducks to be more friendly?

[Iain Utah]

What I have found works is to sit as still as possible on ground in coop or yard for 15-20 minutes and talk quietly to them. Eventually, they get curious and you will observe them gravitating closer to you. They will hopefully come up to check you out. Now here is the key. Do NOT attempt to touch them, even if they nibble on you. Just talk to them. Do this once a day for a week straight.

 

[cskotek]

I will try that too! My one adult runner female got bumble foot. were going to have ALOT of quality time. Thats if she doesnt die on me. She seems to be running a temp I dont know why.

 

[zooweemama]

Peas. Every evening I have pea time. They get a few peas right before going to bed. I come out and talk to them. They start yelllllling and come running to me. I move slow and get low and then sit down. I only put 2 peas in a hand (there are 14 of them) and I hold my hand straight out and low so they can see what I have. The green is a dead giveaway. They bombard me. This took weeks. And if they know I have peas- I can get them to follow anywhere. They won't let me hold them, a few will let me pet them sometimes. I try to remember they are less than 3 months old. They may live 10 years....so 3 months isn't that long to build a friendship. So I just have to prove myself to them. I can be patient. Good luck!

 

[BigBlock]

I'm new to this, but my little ducklings are warming up to me after about 3 days. (they're 2-3 weeks old) I think it helps if they were hatched in an incubator instead of by a duck. Mine love peices of clover out of the yard and will readily eat it out of my hand. I sit very still and one of them likes to sit on my lap now, I could barely hold her when I got her.

 

[tenn red]

Get some live crickets, bait shop or wild ones . Sit down and release a few, hold one by its legs ,they love crickets. Once they eat a few,they will come to your hand to get them. It might take a few times ,but be patient.Hope this helps.

 

[cskotek]

Hahaha when my ducks where ducklings back in april i got some crickets for them and man they didnt know what was happening at first and once one ate one they went wild! And im not going to lie it was pretty funny when one would get a cricket on its back and it would spaz then eat it.! Hahahahah

 

[Blondiega1]

Peas. Every evening I have pea time. They get a few peas right before going to bed. I come out and talk to them. They start yelllllling and come running to me. I move slow and get low and then sit down. I only put 2 peas in a hand (there are 14 of them) and I hold my hand straight out and low so they can see what I have. The green is a dead giveaway. They bombard me. This took weeks. And if they know I have peas- I can get them to follow anywhere. They won't let me hold them, a few will let me pet them sometimes. I try to remember they are less than 3 months old. They may live 10 years....so 3 months isn't that long to build a friendship. So I just have to prove myself to them. I can be patient. Good luck!

Peas and fresh corn.
Mine could preform brain surgery for peas and corn. LOL

 

[cskotek]

LOL. Ive tried peas and they like them but they look at me like... and??? I found they seem to like dry catfood loll. My smaller adult female like vacuumed it right up LOL. Didnt try moist corn. And im guilty of feeding them all little bit of bread even though it goes right to their midsection.

 

[Sadiew]

I handled mine from day one, now they follow me around and love a cuddle, if I am sitting on ground they just climb on, if sitting higher they will wait to be picked up for cuddle time, they did try to fly up on my knee but that hurts a lot when they are bigger Mine would do back flips for sweetcorn and the speed they get up when they hear their treat bowl getting topped up. I love my Muscovies such personalities they have.

 

[cheryl026]

Hello, I have 3 runner ducks, my drake and one of my females are fairly friendly. I got them at 3 weeks old, and handled them lots when they were young. They all still run away from me though. What I found to be helpful was talking to them and coaxing them with lettuce, mine love it!! they are now 3 months old, and I sit with them for about 1/2 hr to 1hr in their coop and they will eat from my hands, sometimes I catch the female and have her sit in my lap feeding her treats, talking to her and petting her. She tolerates me the most.

Hope this was helpful. It would be nice if my ducks would come when I call as I have to herd them to the run from the coop! That part is a bit comical, and my husband laughs at me when he sees me herding!