Just adopted 3 ducklings. Never raised fowl before!

[mandapandabear]

The previous greeters have made some good suggestions for getting your ducklings used to you. You might get additional ideas from the members on the duck forum.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks

Good luck!

Thanks! I'll read up and check it out!

 

[mandapandabear]

Hi and welcome to BYC and congrats on your ducklings.

Since ducks are  a prey species, they get particularly freaked out when a huge (to them) hand comes at them from above - just like an ariel predator. If you can kinda introduce your hand from a lower trajectory it may help them to freak out less. They are likely to become more friendly with age, and will become accustomed to you if you sit and spend time with them (maybe reading, or listening to music) and feed them treats (first on the ground, then from your hand) and keep a gentle and quiet tone in your voice. Thats the theory, at least  .

All the best

CT

They quickly realized that sometimes I have treat worms and they're all about them! They nibble my hand, tasting for them if I keep them in my laundry basket (it's plastic but only use it to tote them front point a to b.) I usually get to their level when I can. It's only been three days and they're so close to each other, I know I couldn't compete. However, they seem to understand I'm ok and not going to hurt them

 

[Amiga]

I'd love to join the duck forum! I'll keep your advice to heart, and everyone elses. It seems like common sense. If a large hand reached down to me booming "don't worry, I'm ok!" I'd poop and run, too! They're so cute and are becoming accustomed to me I think. I feed them, clean the cage, give them "bath time" (swim time) and today we went outside and I loomed over them to make sure nothing got to them before me. I'm hopelessly in love.

Yup. Hopelessly in love. That's the feeling. It has not faded at all for me, by the way, going into our seventh year together.