My Ducks are Drving me Insane!!!!!

[jerry2009]

I had Never ducks before so i decided to buy a pair from Ideal. They are now around 6 weeks old and they are absolutly terrified of me. I had them lose around the yard but i couldnt stand there running and sqeeking ever time people would walk near them. I give them treats and them come near me and sit them on my lap till they calm down but they are still terrified. Im seriously considering having them culled because they are driving me insane. They are now in a pen and evertime I reach in to add feed or water they knock everything down running around histerically. I was thinking about seperating the two, Do I still have hope for a tame pair of ducks?

 

[shelleyd2008]

I've never had tame ducks, that's just not the way they are. Eventually they will learn that you aren't going to eat them, but they will still make a point to avoid you. Mine will let me walk no closer than 5' to them before they run away. I've had some of them for over 2 years.

 

[Goat_Walker]

Its a phase. Just means its time to assert yourself as the almighty bringer of food!! lol. Start making scheduled feedings, where the feed is in the same bucket all the time. Dump their feed in one particular spot and repeat for a few days. Soon they will be hungry and realise that you arent so scary. With my goslings I whistle to them whenever im headed to get feed or to give them a treat. of course they come up and give me kisses and are good for cuddles, lol. most of my ducks lOVE layer crumbles or duckling crumbles ( starter/grower) and will get right under my feet! But i cant pet them like id like to. but they sit right in the walk way and everything else! there is still hope, it will just take patience and time.

 

[MysticalMom]

Mine go through phases like that too as they grow. I just make sure they know I am the lady with the food and peas. And when I go outside with their treats etc I call "deedle deedle deedle" in a high pitched voice. Now... 20 ducks... even the ones who wont let me get near them.. come running as soon as they see me. Ducks just aren't cuddly animals. My Muscovy drake got so sick of my youngest daughter always wanting to pick him up that while he loves everyone else.. he RUNS from her. Don't give up and remember...they're ducks. Not puppies.

 

[crj]

Patience is everything. In the animal world you can't go to them....... they have to come to you. It's mostly a trust issue. They will feel comfortable in time. You are a giant to them. Picture yourself the size of a duck and something coming at you that is enormous! It's scary for the little buggers.

Mine are almost 8 weeks. They are afraid of me too. They are starting to warm up. Today I did hold one. Just for a short time and put her down before she freaked. I have a stool set up in their pen. I bring in tomatoes, broccoli leaves things like that for them to snack on. I hold the treats in my hands and they come over and eat it. I don't try to reach out to them. They need to be comfortable with me first. As soon as I stand up they get scared and run off. It's getting better though.

I've always been around the ducks as they grew but they go through a phase I guess. I'm sure it will pass in time. They are in there new pen and are slowly getting use to it.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have one that is also about 8 weeks old. I have to bring him inside at night, along with his 1-2 week old penmates, because of a nighttime predator problem. He has learned that I am the way to inside where his buddies are, and will come to the side of the pen for me to get him. Of course, he freaks out when I'm carrying him, crying the whole way inside, and makes a big show about 'trying' to get away from me before I pick him up, but he does come to me, and he does let me get him. Of course as soon as we are inside he's trying his best to get away. Like another poster said, they just aren't that cuddly.

 

[jerry2009]

will try my hardest to stick it through...i can tell they are soo inteligent and love each other very much....they will scream and cry if i break them apart...i will follow the advice and see if I managed to at least be able to feed them without making a mess...

thank guys!!!!

 

[Denninmi]

I got 4 rouens last year, and I was a bit disconcerted too that they seemed very wild as youngsters -- I even posted on this forum asking if perhaps the hatchery had messed up and sent wild strain mallards instead of domestic rouens, but they are most definitely rouens.

They never have tamed down to the point they are cuddly and sit on my lap like some posters here describe, but then again, I never had the time to work extensively with them when they were young.

They have, however, tamed to the point that they aren't terrified of me and they know that I bring goodies, refill their food, change their water, and so forth. I can't reach out and pet them, but they are reasonably tame, sort of like the ducks at a public park that get used to handouts.

I enjoy watching them, having them "talk" back to me when I talk to them, and so forth. I have a dog for the "cuddly" pet (which can be too much love sometimes when a 70 lb dog wants to sit on your lap in 90 degree weather, but hey, that's life!)

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