how to tame my pet ducks?

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
Couldnt be truer nettie.
Ducks in general will like people. and with time you can may a "pet" out of them, but never in the normal sense of the word pet. For the most part, and I am a duck lover now! But they just dont really care for us until it's feeding time LOL, THEN they are everybody's buddies.
Ducks are "duck people" not people lovers. The only exception is the imprinting deal I explained in my first post, and that needs to start fromt eh time they pip the shell and continue everyday after, with as much attention as possible given to the birds, MAYBE it will begin to think it is a people duck then, but still no guarentees.
Good luck to all who try, it's funn no doubt!
I once knew a lady who slept with her pair of HOTTEN Tot TEAL.
NO WAY i WOULD EVER GO THAT FAR, BUT SHE DID!

Aubrey

 

[TheDuckCrew]

yeah, my ducks are not people lovers. any new person, and they like a 30 foot distance between them. it sometimes affends them because i can walk about 2 feet away from them! becky, i understand what you are saying! i'll try to feed them closer to me and maybe one day out of my hand! thanks for they advice all

 

[RavenStorm]

Quote:
My Bogger is a cuddler, but only because she was alone when I got her as a rescue. She had escaped from her shipping box at the post office and the post master brought her to the feed store I buy at. I didn't have school at the time, so I took her on and I became mom and she really latched onto me. By the time I was finally able to get her a buddy she was firmly imprinted on me and now as an adult she will occasionally jump into my lap for treats or sleep curled up next to my feet. When we are out playing, she likes to be cuddled and she tries to climb up onto my shoulder like a parrot of something lol.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

aww! that has got to be hilarious! but i do have 2 cats and a dog, one of my cats loves to be pet, the other, not too much. he loves my mom and only her! i want to hatch some duck eggs and keep one or two girls so my other boys will have their own girlies!

 

[Ducklvr]

When we got ducklings, they didn't bond to us very well at all, I guess we wern't sure how to go about that, but now I find it easier to bond to them when they are adult, they aren't scared of us, and will run up to us, let us pet/hold them, and one of them will 'beg' for treats!

and I guess it works because once he starts you just give him more and more! lol

The way we did it:
first we let them grow up, they NEVER let us hold and/or pet them when they were babies, they will now, so there is hope!

then we got them in a pen (if you don't have a pen, I'm not sure how well this is going to work for you...)

then 2X a day we would go out with about half their food, and ALOT of goodies... banana slices worked well, though tomato was their fav, and many people say that frozen thawed peas are easy too.. Remember not to try to pet them during this stage-just put the food on the ground, then back up a step and talk quietly to them while they eat. once they don't act afraid of you when you come out (they may even quack a freindly greeting after a while!) then try feeding them by putting small amouts of food in your hand, again DO NOT extend your hand to pet or hold them (or when it's empty), they need to be able to see the extended hand as fun, and rewarding!

eventually you should be able to have them all come running when you go towards their pen! when they will all come to your hand with food in it and stand still, start using your othere hand as a top for the feeding hand, I will try to explain it, if you have any questions tell me... ok first put a bit of food in your hand, then cup your other 'empty' hand and put it over your 'feeding hand' so that there is a hole for the ducks to, eat out of, then use this for awhile.....

and soon offer the feeding hand open again, once they have gotten used to, and have been feeding out of the cupped hand for awhile, and slowly while they are eating extend ONE finger, touch the ducks BACK, do not touch their head they will freak, and you'll have to start all over again, (I know it's tempting, but resist it).

then after awhile of that slowly gradute into stroking the ducks back WITH ONE FINGER!

then after awhile of that go into your full hand as gradully as you think those duckin's need!

they should by now quack when they see you coming, no matter if you are carrying that food bucket or not, or our ducks are wierd... you eventually should be able to pick up a duck...



HOPE THIS HELPS

PS: when I used caps up there it was to make it more visible


DuckLvr

 

[emilyyfae]

how did they die so fast?

 

[Mr.and Mrs.Greenwood]

I have 2 Cayuga hens that we raised in house.. they are not the most cuddle friendly, but they come running as soon as I step outside... they will allow us to pick them up now and then or pat their necks. but usually its all about the food.
we have 2 pekin and one Swedish blue babies now.. and we unfortunately got them when they were over a week old.. and they are terrified of us right now.. they are slowly calming down though.. my hens LOVE seeing the babies.. and often will come inside the house to see them and "talk" to them.
all our ducks are outside ducks.. and they live in a pretty safe escape proof backyard.. so luckily no issues on wanderers.

 

[MissRePass]

I have 2 ducklings that are 3 weeks old. Puddles and Bubbles. Of course they hate bing picked up...but still eat out of our hands. We have found that swaddling them (not too tight) and then holding them next to each other calms them down. I started the swaddling because I was afraid of hurting them when they started freaking out. Now each night, after a bath, my daughter and I swaddle them in a towel and snuggle them, making sure they are close to each other. They calm down and even snuggle into our necks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How about some pictures!

 

[quackiemama]

Yes pics pleaase and