Imprinting Ducks?

[Wolf-Kim]

Would ducks that I hatched myself be more friendly than those I buy already hatched?

I'm just curious because I want some 'scovies.. hehe

-Kim

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

They would only be really friendly, if you hatched just one. As soon as the ducklings hatch and see their siblings, they are imprinted on their siblings, and will be skiddish around you.

 

[Wildsky]

My 6, purchased as day olds from a hatchery - follow me EVERYWHERE - they see me coming out the door or on the deck and they RUN to me!

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

either way, hatchery, or home hatched. They CAN be imprinted on a mother like figure. I just got 15 muscovys in the mail and imprinted 5 of them on to a broody female duck I have.

You just have to spend LOTS of time with them.

If you do buy muscovys from a hatchery I would suggest J.M Hatchery. They ship overnight so they wouldnt imprint on there brothers and sisters so easily.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Thanks! I'll have to look around then.

-Kim

 

[Wildsky]

I got my 6 from Country hatchery. I think they were "spares" as I got them really fast after asking a couple of questions, I wanted the black ones, but white was all they had - so I took em.

They are the cutiest things EVER......

OH and buy some YELLOW CROC"S - they apparently LOVE them!

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

Muscovies are over all a lot easier to tame and deal with then other duck breeds. I let my duck hatch them and took them away at a couple days old and now at a month old they follow me everywhere and I keep tripping over them....... I acctually fell over one when I hung the laundry up to dry the other day..... poor thing is somewhat avoiding me now..

...."somewhat" meaning instead of sitting inbetween my feet he now sits 2 feet far away from me(i can so deal with that, beats other duck breeds that will flee from just seeing me 100 ft away) .

I never handled these ducklings either, since any males will end up as Christmas dinner... thinking if they were a little more skiddish I wont get too attached, well a friend of mine agrees with me that this technique is not working cause when she knocked on my door this morning she was standing there with one of the scovy babies in her arms going all

cause it greeted her when she got out of her truck and would not even move away when petted...

I had to literally pry it out of her arms ...... so much for my theory "don't handle them and they wont be tame/like you".
mallard derrived breeds I try so hard to get tame and only get to the point where they wont die of a heart attack if I even walk past their enclosure and the muscovies I cannot seem to get untame.

 

[Wildsky]

they do love to get under feet, if I stand still long enough I have all 6 spread around my feet pecking at my shoes. Always one between the feet - and they do it to anyone, I have to keep reminding the kids that there are DUCKS right on their heels!

 

[DuckLady]

Imprint happens in the first few hours after hatch.
Bonding is what happens after that. Muscovies are just friendly curious affectionate ducks. If you get them young, you can have them tame as an imprint. I do have an imprint and the behavior is way different from a bonded duck. An imprint doen't really think it is is a duck and a bond will know it is a duck and will love you anyway.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it. I think of these things and they bother me if I don't get them answered.

-Kim