How do I make my adult ducks like me?

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Thank you guys so much! My biggest tissue right now, is that I am no tdoen treating bumblefoot, and I still need to catch them. How do I catch them without being super scary or having to run after them. I hate doing it, but it has to be done. Thanks again, Avery

I’ve never had to do this with ducks, but with chickens, if you go get them and do anything you have to while they’re sleeping, it usually stresses them out less.

 

[LT71689]

Thank you guys so much! My biggest tissue right now, is that I am no tdoen treating bumblefoot, and I still need to catch them. How do I catch them without being super scary or having to run after them. I hate doing it, but it has to be done. Thanks again, Avery

Is there a corner of the pen you can casually herd them towards instead of actual chasing? Slowly walk them into a corner, THEN if you can squat down and come at them from a more level angle instead of 'attack from above'. Get your arms low and scoop them up. If you've got a ways to move them, put them in a cardboard box or plastic tote with a towel on the bottom and cover the top with a lid or towel and thatll help keep them calm(er) in the transfer, if they can see whats going on they freak out worse.


Basically ducks have a VERY hardwired sense of "anything above me wants to kill me" even if they KNOW it's you, and you've never tried to kill them before - it's just in their genetics and they cant turn it off. So, as others have said, move slow, dont wave your arms or objects around, talk soft, no sudden moves or big noises, etc. Instead of bending over (like you're swooping down on top of them to get them) try coming straight down into a squat if your knees can handle it. If you can, when you're spending time with them even lay on the ground. REALLY get on their level. I handled my two constantly every day since the day they were hatched and they still ran from me a bit. I'd lay down on the floor with them and we'd be perfectly fine, theyd come up to my face and when they were really really little snuggle up under my chin on a pillow and try to eat my hair and be real cute and we'd do that for an hour or two and then the second I sat up I was scary again. Not even standing yet, just laying to sitting turned me into a demon and they suddenly didnt know me

Keep bribing with treats and patience.

This may not be a solution for you but for some reason they were a lot more cuddly with me on the couch too. They'd snuggle up to me and let me put an arm around them and pet them - not something they would let me do ANYWHERE ELSE, pets and snuggles were entirely off-limits everywhere else except the couch. No idea why.

 

[Weeg]

Is there a corner of the pen you can casually herd them towards instead of actual chasing? Slowly walk them into a corner, THEN if you can squat down and come at them from a more level angle instead of 'attack from above'. Get your arms low and scoop them up. If you've got a ways to move them, put them in a cardboard box or plastic tote with a towel on the bottom and cover the top with a lid or towel and thatll help keep them calm(er) in the transfer, if they can see whats going on they freak out worse.


Basically ducks have a VERY hardwired sense of "anything above me wants to kill me" even if they KNOW it's you, and you've never tried to kill them before - it's just in their genetics and they cant turn it off. So, as others have said, move slow, dont wave your arms or objects around, talk soft, no sudden moves or big noises, etc. Instead of bending over (like you're swooping down on top of them to get them) try coming straight down into a squat if your knees can handle it. If you can, when you're spending time with them even lay on the ground. REALLY get on their level. I handled my two constantly every day since the day they were hatched and they still ran from me a bit. I'd lay down on the floor with them and we'd be perfectly fine, theyd come up to my face and when they were really really little snuggle up under my chin on a pillow and try to eat my hair and be real cute and we'd do that for an hour or two and then the second I sat up I was scary again. Not even standing yet, just laying to sitting turned me into a demon and they suddenly didnt know me

Keep bribing with treats and patience.

This may not be a solution for you but for some reason they were a lot more cuddly with me on the couch too. They'd snuggle up to me and let me put an arm around them and pet them - not something they would let me do ANYWHERE ELSE, pets and snuggles were entirely off-limits everywhere else except the couch. No idea why.

Thank yo for this! I do hav e corner that I can herd them into, and I will try this next time! I always comeuppance to them with a towel, also I can cover her heads for transport over to the shop where the vet stuff is. ( Vet stuff meaning I'm not a vet, but I am certainly gonna be, so I am excited, to have these opportunities!) Thanks everyone! Avery

 

[Fuchsia]

X2
MadamPoofyBrow

I agree. Also POPCORN. Like Share and Subscribe. LOL

I thought popcorn was bad for ducks. ?

 

[Weeg]

I won't feed it then, I haven't, I just fed lettus and meal worms yesterday.

 

[Fuchsia]

The third one up from the bottom in the first post.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements.242460/

 

[JulieBeth07]

Ditto with the mealworms and larvae...Mine LOVE strawberries and watermelon! (And hard boiled eggs too)