My ducklings are afraid of deep water

[10ducks]

I have 10 Khaki Campbells that are 6 weeks old. They spend their nights in their coop and days free-ranging on our property, which has a nice big pond. They dabble at the edge of the pond, and will get in and swim close to shore, but they won't go out more than about 6 feet from the edge. They will range around the pond edge, and then when I call them in for grain at night, they will walk all the way around the pond, even though it would be much shorter and quicker to swim across the pond.

They were afraid to go in at all at first, but I coaxed them in with food, and then they figured out that there was good stuff to eat in the muck. They panicked and ran away whenever a frog jumped nearby, too, but they've gotten over that.

Does anyone else have ducks that won't swim?

 

[Chickie Mamma]

They will become more brave a little at a time. I hatched my Pekin duck in January and didn't know what it was like to swim, until April, when I finally defrosted the kiddie pool. I threw the big guy in and he had a fit. It was almost like putting a cat in the water. Now, I can't get him out of the water. So just give them some time..

 

[PlumTuckered]

My Pekins wouldn't go into the deep water until they were 8 weeks old, now I can't keep them out of the pond unless it's treat or supper time, then they come a runnin' LOL

Michelle