My ducklings won’t imprint

[Tess_hyland]

hi I’m new here but was wondering how I can get my day old pekin ducklings to follow me... I have four of them and they follow me every now and then but I can’t get them to do it all the time

 

[Tannerpauldean]

Sometimes a day old is still figuring things out - how to eat, how to walk, how to drink water (the only thing they seem to know right away is how to poop!). I rely on my voice to help them imprint. Be sure you are always talking to them and using a repeated phrase (I use "duck, duck, duck") and they should eventually get on board.

 

[Tess_hyland]

Sometimes a day old is still figuring things out - how to eat, how to walk, how to drink water (the only thing they seem to know right away is how to poop!). I rely on my voice to help them imprint. Be sure you are always talking to them and using a repeated phrase (I use "duck, duck, duck") and they should eventually get on board.

Awesome. Thanks for the advice, I will keep you updated on how their progress goes!

 

[SuperDuck]

Are you ready for them to imprint? Little buggers can get needy . My son's two boys are imprinted on him. They know who Daddy is. My son has a tough and long schedule every day. No matter how many hours he's gone and how tired he is, the boys want their Daddy at the end of the day still. He still must play with them and entertain them for a bit. Any free time the kid has is spent snuggling and entertaining the boys. It's like having two toddlers that aren't potty trained and never get out of the toddler years.

 

[PaulX]

Day-olds' legs usually aren't strong enough to sustain constant following yet. They sit down a lot. 'been like that for my 2 batches of hatchlings.

 

[chickens really]

Way too little. I Quack to my Ducklings in the Brooder and use my hand as a bill. They imprint to my Quack.

 

[Jpat]

Once they are good and stable pick them up lots and support their legs and fluffy butts so they feel safe and hold them right up against your face, Theyll love you forever

How many do you have?

 

[Tess_hyland]

Once they are good and stable pick them up lots and support their legs and fluffy butts so they feel safe and hold them right up against your face, Theyll love you forever

How many do you have?

I have four now

 

[Tess_hyland]

Thank you all for the advice, they are actually quite strong and they are getting the hang of it! I sit with them around my neck and they love cuddling up to me

Thanks so much everyone, much appreciated

 

[Senna95]

You might not want them to imprint. Ducks that don't know that they are ducks can be very needy and difficult to take care of. They want to be with you all the time, and will wait on the front porch (and POOP on the front porch) till you come out because they don't know what else to do. Non-imprinted ducks will go about their day happily being ducks and doing what duck do.