Mallard Duck help.

[kimandrich]

We have 2 Mallard ducks that are 2 months old, we bought them 2 weeks ago.
We've been feeding them gamebird starter, along with some green beans, peas and cabbage every other day. We're new to raising ducks, so we're not too sure how to take care of them. We've got them a kiddie pool to play in. We're having trouble with getting them used to us, though. They run away and freak out when we go to the cage to feed them or change their water.
Yesterday, we ended up expanding our chicken pen (we have 14 chickens) and put the ducks in there with their pool.
Does anyone have any tips on getting them used to us so they don't go crazy when we come near them?

 

[bigtrout]

Short answer is.....peas...my ducks love them...buy frozen peas and thaw them...I use peas to train my five week old pekins to go back into their house at night...if the ducks think I have peas they will follow anywhere.

The other thing is lots of exposure to the ducks. Mine are creatures of habit...eventually your ducks will learn where the food, water and peas come from and get alot tamer.

 

[SassyKat6181]

I know everyone has their own experiences with ducks, and mine with the Mallards have not been so great. I bought 4 from TSC as day-olds. They are now 6 weeks and not friendly at all. I have handled them multiple times per day since I got them. I have tried peas and greens. They run the other way, and when I have left the coop, they gobble it up. Same thing when I fill their bucket for bath time. The Campbells and Pekins are great......maybe it is the wildness still in them.

I ended up with 3 males and 1 female, and have them separated from the other ducks because they are mean and nippy to them.

 

[bigtrout]

Sassy, which ducks are the aggressors? The mallards?

I have six pekins four weeks old who moved outside...just got four campbell ducklings...and my wife snuck two mallards into.the.brooder with the campbells

All seems good so far

 

[SassyKat6181]

Yes, the Mallards(males) are the agressors. I had hoped that once the (7)Campbells and (3)Pekins were bigger than the Mallards that I could combine them, but the Mallards still chase and bite them. The female is ok toward the others. The Pekins are much larger now and they are the first ones to get chased. I have only been brave enough to give them 5 minutes together and them I pull them apart. There is 2"x3" fencing that separates them, so they can see and touch. I saw one Mallard put his head through the fence to bite one of the Campbells yesterday.

The Mallards are 2 weeks older than the others, and were brooded separately because of the size difference.

 

[kimandrich]

Thanks!
We're pretty sure both are girls because they're 2 months old now, and they haven't changed any colors except a little blue on their wings.

Is gamebird starter/grower okay to feed them?

Does anyone have a kiddie pool they use for their ducks? If so, any tips on easy cleaning rather than dumping it out and filling it up again? They get that water so dirty and stinky, we have to dump it every 2-3 days. I thought about getting a little pool vacuum from Wal-mart, but I wasn't sure if that would be good or not.

 

[xke4]

Have had my 3 rescue ducks for 4-5 years and they still act as tho I am coming to kill them when I approach. As for the kiddie pool, I think you are lucky if you have to dump it every couple of days or so. I have to dump mine at least once a day if not more.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Since they are already 2 months old, they have been imprinted by whomever you got them from. If they were mistreated or ignored, they will naturally fear any human.

Try going in their pen, sit down on the ground (with peas in hand) and see if their curiosity will bring them to you. Toss (gently) a couple peas their way and see what happens. It will take some patience to do this.

I can't really tell from the pix, but it appears you may have two drakes. Watch the top of their heads. There will be a greenish sheen to the one(s) that will be a drake.

 

[sourland]

The more generations mallards are removed from the wild, the more their body type changes and becomes more blocky. Those ducks looked very streamlined and "wild like" in body type. I'm guessing they are not far removed from the wild and have retained more of the wild traits. Be patient, move slowly around them talking softly to them, and do not try to catch or hold them. Allow them to learn to gradually trust you. The presence of a calmer, more friendly duck might help them adjust more rapidly.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Patience.

Our mallards came from TSC as babies last year - got them the day they came in for DD. They love her......followed her everywhere. Still will let her pick them up and hold them and pet them.
I can't do it with them, but sitting in the pen & hand feeding them treats helped so they don't freak out as bad now when I go in......but I hear a lot of quacking when they see me outside - wanting treats of course!