I keep startling my duckling and I don’t know why?

[Duckmomma27]

Hello! So my duckling has been hanging out a lot with my boyfriend and I every day, she whines most of the time when she can’t see us and she happy peeps when we are around, however when she first wakes up in her brooding box and I go to pick her up she makes startled peeps, and runs away from me scared and she does the same to him. It’s like when we are away for too long she forgets who we are… is this normal?

 

[nuthatched]

I'd be startled too if a giant 300 times my size came to sweep me up every morning. Ducks are prey animals, it's natural for them to fear overhead movement. She needs a friend, you know, you can't have just one....like potato chips. :]

 

[SilverBirds]

If I was asleep and someone started to come and swoop me up I too would be very afraid.

I'd get your duckling a friend. Ducks are flock birds and she will be lonely.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hello! So my duckling has been hanging out a lot with my boyfriend and I every day, she whines most of the time when she can’t see us and she happy peeps when we are around, however when she first wakes up in her brooding box and I go to pick her up she makes startled peeps, and runs away from me scared and she does the same to him. It’s like when we are away for too long she forgets who we are… is this normal?

Try being slower, let her see you and hear you and calm before going to pick her up. She hasn't forgotten you and it isn't personal, it's simply the reaction of a prey animal-
as others have mentioned, she'll need a friend! Are you planning on getting more soon? A mirror in the brooder will help with loneliness in the meantime.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I always try to announce myself so not to startle them, even as adults. So my oldest ducks name is Mama, so whenever I am going out to the ducks I say “hey mama” in a sweet calm voice and I usually wait for her to quack before I keep going. That way they know it’s just me coming, not a predator. You could try that using your own “call” every morning.

 

[KaleIAm]

I agree, approach very slowly and talk first in a soft low voice to let your duckling know you'll be arriving. Like others, I still do this with my very friendly 7 and 8 year old ducks. They do not like being surprised.

You might also avoid eye contact, as predators stare before attacking. If you notice anything else upsets your duckling (mine are afraid of umbrellas/ladders/anything that might be an aerial predator) I recommend you avoid those, too. You want them to associate you with only good things.

A duckling friend is a great idea.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I agree, approach very slowly and talk first in a soft low voice to let your duckling know you'll be arriving. Like others, I still do this with my very friendly 7 and 8 year old ducks. They do not like being surprised.

You might also avoid eye contact, as predators stare before attacking. If you notice anything else upsets your duckling (mine are afraid of umbrellas/ladders/anything that might be an aerial predator) I recommend you avoid those, too. You want them to associate you with only good things.

A duckling friend is a great idea.

Good point about scary objects. Mine are afraid of the weirdest things. Brooms? Evil. Vacuum cleaner? That's all good. Cup? Evil. Electric drill? I wanna investigate it!

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

The duck food comes in the sack of death.

 

[Duckmomma27]

Try being slower, let her see you and hear you and calm before going to pick her up. She hasn't forgotten you and it isn't personal, it's simply the reaction of a prey animal-
as others have mentioned, she'll need a friend! Are you planning on getting more soon? A mirror in the brooder will help with loneliness in the meantime.

I have a mirror for her, and she’s with me every single day. Not sure about a friend yet, she was a rescue from the park. Her egg was kicked from its nest with a peck hole in it. She shouldn’t have lived…

 

[BelovedBirds]

I have a mirror for her, and she’s with me every single day. Not sure about a friend yet, she was a rescue from the park. Her egg was kicked from its nest with a peck hole in it. She shouldn’t have lived…

Could she not have been put back in the nest, or had mama already hatched the rest and gone?
it's important to have a friend for her, three is the best number, so that if something happens to one, the other two have eachother and aren't left alone. Since she has imprinted on you(?) I'm not sure she'll be able to be released, and if you are keeping her, she will need a friend.