Muscovy duck trying to attack me?

[Bc-Ducks]

Originally I had gotten 2 muscovy ducklings at 2 days old. Unfortunately one died after a couple months of having them. But I had the female until she was over a year old. It did take me awhile to find another duck that I could get as a friend, but I managed to find an adult (age unknown) just before christmas last year. However, after a few months of having the new duck, my original duck died. So now I am left with an adult female muscovy duck that has never really been handled. She is currently in with 2 chickens, who were also never handled before I got them, but they have come a long way. However, the duck still acts scared of me. She has also recently started to sit on eggs, both chicken and duck, and when I go to take them she runs away and gets mad. She has also recently been acting like she is going to attack me, and each day it seems to get worse. I have tried letting her adjust to me in her own time, but it doesn't seem to be working. Does anyone know anything that I could do to stop he attack attempts before they get too bad and a way to bond with her? I have tried mealworms, but she refuses to take them and the chickens swoop in if I throw them near her. I really want her to like me or at least tolerate me, otherwise I may have to rehome her. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ruthhope]

I have a disturbed muscovy -- mine's a drake that was a rescue when he was a few days old. I got him from the rehabber last September. He has never liked to be touched but he does want to hang around and look in my patio windows. Then at the end of December, he attacked me -- flying at me with feet to the fore, and biting. It was scary.

He and I have been working things out since January -- and if you have the time, you should be able to work it out with your female, Bc-Ducks.

Your duck may be like she is because of the changes in her life or maybe because she is broody and grumpy; or a bit of both. My drake is as he is because of the changes in his life, followed by a surge of drake hormones.

Many ducks do not like people standing up. My drake, O Pato, is much better behaved and easier to work with when I spend time sitting on my back steps with him standing one step higher than me. He is also less aggressive if I sit on a garden chair when he is around me.

I have been able to spend 30 to 60 minutes sitting with my drakes every morning, drinking my morning coffee in a non-spill travel beaker, since their hormones kicked in at the end of December. The other three drakes squabble and occasionally fight amongst themselves but are not aggressive with me. I pet the three that allow me to pet them -- one demands petting and jabs me in the back when he thinks I am giving the other drakes too much attention that should be given to him. I didn't try and pet O Pato for 2 months, although I am getting him used to being touched now. I talked to him and hand fed him peas, tomatoes and other occasional treats. Spending this time with my ducks resulted in them all being much friendlier. The drake that pokes me when he wants attention has started following me around the back garden again -- he had not done that since last August when he was about 8 weeks old. O Pato didn't want to be petted and I didn't try for 2 months. I have been petting him for a short time each morning for the last 2 months. He tolerates me touching him, he doesn't like it in the way the other three do.

When O Pato forgets his manners and bites my feet, I now put him in a dog crate for time out. He only needs 5 minutes -- or less -- in there and when he comes out, he remembers his manners and behaves nicely. I don't know why he has started biting my feet again after several months not doing so, but time out is all he needs.

If you have the time, you might be able to use/adapt some of these approaches to your duck, Bc-Ducks. Let us know how you get on.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Originally I had gotten 2 muscovy ducklings at 2 days old. Unfortunately one died after a couple months of having them. But I had the female until she was over a year old. It did take me awhile to find another duck that I could get as a friend, but I managed to find an adult (age unknown) just before christmas last year. However, after a few months of having the new duck, my original duck died. So now I am left with an adult female muscovy duck that has never really been handled. She is currently in with 2 chickens, who were also never handled before I got them, but they have come a long way. However, the duck still acts scared of me. She has also recently started to sit on eggs, both chicken and duck, and when I go to take them she runs away and gets mad. She has also recently been acting like she is going to attack me, and each day it seems to get worse. I have tried letting her adjust to me in her own time, but it doesn't seem to be working. Does anyone know anything that I could do to stop he attack attempts before they get too bad and a way to bond with her? I have tried mealworms, but she refuses to take them and the chickens swoop in if I throw them near her. I really want her to like me or at least tolerate me, otherwise I may have to rehome her. Any help would be appreciated.

I don’t have Muscovy ducks but I do have ducks
My guess is she wants to go broody and sees you as the bad guy stopping that
Would you consider letting her sit for a batch ? If you don’t have fertilized eggs maybe buy a few from somebody

If not try to clear the eggs right away before she gets a chance to gather and sit

@Miss Lydia has Muscovy ducks. She will be in bed now but should see this tag in the morning
She may have a more ideas on how to work with her

 

[Miss Lydia]

Broody Muscovy are very protective of their nests. I have one now. She's going to be 11 in July so she is use to me being around her nest sticking my hand under her for eggs. But she does fuss. I have one that will pinch the fire out of me if I mess with her on the nest. But I've never had a female attack me. Can you get your female a buddy[another female muscovy] Probably even another female of a different breed. I have a Muscovy who hangs out with my Runners and Buffs[who she hatched out in 2016]
Don't act afraid of her, stand your ground If you stand tall I don't think she'll attack. My one female Muscovy will chase the goose and it's because Missy won't stand up to her I mean how funny is it to see a little Muscovy female chasing a large female goose.lol
Please explain her behavior that makes you think she is going to attack.
Like @ruthhope is saying spending time with our birds is the best way to show them we are not going to hurt them but we also aren't going to put up with bad behavior towards us either. Sitting with them daily and giving out treats can be a very good way of getting closer to our birds. Out of my 14 ducks, only 2 will let me touch them so it's not my goal to get to the place where I can sit and pet them that's great if others can do this, I just enjoy having them in my life and they enjoy being here. Some of my chickens are okay with me picking them up for snuggles too. My goose naw she doesn't like to be touched either. But please explain what your Muscovy is doing that makes you think she is going to attack. Broody Muscovy is just part of life mine is sitting on a nest with nothing under her They go broody at the drop of an egg I use to try to break them but it never worked so now I just let it run its course watching to make sure they come off the nest daily to eat and bathe and of course do that disgusting broody poop.

 

[Shadrach]

Broody Muscovy are very protective of their nests. I have one now. She's going to be 11 in July so she is use to me being around her nest sticking my hand under her for eggs. But she does fuss. I have one that will pinch the fire out of me if I mess with her on the nest. But I've never had a female attack me. Can you get your female a buddy[another female muscovy] Probably even another female of a different breed. I have a Muscovy who hangs out with my Runners and Buffs[who she hatched out in 2016]
Don't act afraid of her, stand your ground If you stand tall I don't think she'll attack. My one female Muscovy will chase the goose and it's because Missy won't stand up to her I mean how funny is it to see a little Muscovy female chasing a large female goose.lol
Please explain her behavior that makes you think she is going to attack.
Like @ruthhope is saying spending time with our birds is the best way to show them we are not going to hurt them but we also aren't going to put up with bad behavior towards us either. Sitting with them daily and giving out treats can be a very good way of getting closer to our birds. Out of my 14 ducks, only 2 will let me touch them so it's not my goal to get to the place where I can sit and pet them that's great if others can do this, I just enjoy having them in my life and they enjoy being here. Some of my chickens are okay with me picking them up for snuggles too. My goose naw she doesn't like to be touched either. But please explain what your Muscovy is doing that makes you think she is going to attack. Broody Muscovy is just part of life mine is sitting on a nest with nothing under her They go broody at the drop of an egg I use to try to break them but it never worked so now I just let it run its course watching to make sure they come off the nest daily to eat and bathe and of course do that disgusting broody poop.

The hardest bite I've had from any bird was from a broody Muscovy who I was trying to give food and water to. I was wearing leather rigger gloves and she still managed to make me bleed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

But she was protecting her nest. My one female would latch onto my skin and twist but that is as far as the attack went made a nice blood bruise. But I have never had one come at me in attack mode. My Muscovy drake yes.

 

[Shadrach]

But she was protecting her nest. My one female would latch onto my skin and twist but that is as far as the attack went made a nice blood bruise. But I have never had one come at me in attack mode. My Muscovy drake yes.

I don't blame her in the slightest. I wasn't quick enough to get my hand out of the way. The routine was slide hand holding food bowl in low and gently and remove hand as quickly as possible once bowl was placed on ground.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have one who latched onto my long sleeve shirt and wouldn't let go so I literally picked her up off her nest while she was still latched onto my shirt sleeve. Finally, when I got hold of her body she let go. They can sure be nutty.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Broody Muscovy are very protective of their nests. I have one now. She's going to be 11 in July so she is use to me being around her nest sticking my hand under her for eggs. But she does fuss. I have one that will pinch the fire out of me if I mess with her on the nest. But I've never had a female attack me. Can you get your female a buddy[another female muscovy] Probably even another female of a different breed. I have a Muscovy who hangs out with my Runners and Buffs[who she hatched out in 2016]
Don't act afraid of her, stand your ground If you stand tall I don't think she'll attack. My one female Muscovy will chase the goose and it's because Missy won't stand up to her I mean how funny is it to see a little Muscovy female chasing a large female goose.lol
Please explain her behavior that makes you think she is going to attack.
Like @ruthhope is saying spending time with our birds is the best way to show them we are not going to hurt them but we also aren't going to put up with bad behavior towards us either. Sitting with them daily and giving out treats can be a very good way of getting closer to our birds. Out of my 14 ducks, only 2 will let me touch them so it's not my goal to get to the place where I can sit and pet them that's great if others can do this, I just enjoy having them in my life and they enjoy being here. Some of my chickens are okay with me picking them up for snuggles too. My goose naw she doesn't like to be touched either. But please explain what your Muscovy is doing that makes you think she is going to attack. Broody Muscovy is just part of life mine is sitting on a nest with nothing under her They go broody at the drop of an egg I use to try to break them but it never worked so now I just let it run its course watching to make sure they come off the nest daily to eat and bathe and of course do that disgusting broody poop.

Exactly about the holding
I hand raised all 5 of my babies even helped 3 hatch out of the eggs but only one will come over and sit on my lap and loves to be pet.
The rest really don’t want to be held
But all are very comfortable with me being around
I can pick them up if I have to but they wiggle to get away quickly
I don’t mind I just enjoy watching them

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here’s one thinking to herself come on I dare ya