My ducks are terrified of me

[austroberta]

I got 2 Welsh Harlequin ducklings in April, raised them since they were 2 days old, had lots of contact and handling of them since then and find that they run in terror with their mouths open (like a terror film scream) whenever I come around. I got them because they were reputed to be a 'calmer and more social breed' but these guys are more nervous than my runner ducks, who come running to me whenever I go outside. The WH's do the opposite. They run the other direction, as if I were about to stick them directly in the stock pot. Does anyone have any suggestions. Offering them treats (peas, worms, etc) doesn't seem to work as they are hesitant to accept even those when I have them in my hand. The only thing that does seem to work is if I crouch down on the ground and find bugs/worms with them. Then they'll come up and nibble at me and crowd around me.

I'm so confused about their behavior. They do quack when they hear my voice and sometimes when they feel lonely. When I go towards them to see them, they act like I'm an ax murderer.

Their nervousness is also making it difficult for me to take care of them. We're having a heat wave and despite their having a pool to swim in, they sit in the sun and pant. Then I'm forced to pick them up and physically put them in the pool, while they cry bloody murder the whole time.

They're not happy. I'm not happy. If anyone has any tips, I'd appreciate them.

 

[4theeggs]

I got 2 Welsh Harlequin ducklings in April, raised them since they were 2 days old, had lots of contact and handling of them since then and find that they run in terror with their mouths open (like a terror film scream) whenever I come around. I got them because they were reputed to be a 'calmer and more social breed' but these guys are more nervous than my runner ducks, who come running to me whenever I go outside. The WH's do the opposite. They run the other direction, as if I were about to stick them directly in the stock pot. Does anyone have any suggestions. Offering them treats (peas, worms, etc) doesn't seem to work as they are hesitant to accept even those when I have them in my hand. The only thing that does seem to work is if I crouch down on the ground and find bugs/worms with them. Then they'll come up and nibble at me and crowd around me.

I'm so confused about their behavior. They do quack when they hear my voice and sometimes when they feel lonely. When I go towards them to see them, they act like I'm an ax murderer.

Their nervousness is also making it difficult for me to take care of them. We're having a heat wave and despite their having a pool to swim in, they sit in the sun and pant. Then I'm forced to pick them up and physically put them in the pool, while they cry bloody murder the whole time.

They're not happy. I'm not happy. If anyone has any tips, I'd appreciate them.

Hi- Our ducks hate us too. We got 5. We have tried. We talk in a soothing voice, we approach slowly. I even sing to them. Apparently they saw the same axe murderer movie as your ducks. It takes two people to round them up to take them outside to the water. My dog looks at us reproachfully for scaring the ducklings. Don't take it personal. I just think they aren't very smart. I'm hoping in time they will settle down a bit.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Maybe they're not ready for the pool and you putting them in is why they're running the other way. Put some feed/water out by the pool & leave them to get curious enough to try when they are ready.
If digging for bugs they join you, that's the bonding part. They're young yet and need to get used to you. No matter what animal, standing over them is "scary", crouching to their level you're less intimidating. Put a stool out, sprinkle treats around you, talk to them softly, may take some time but bet they come around. Maybe do it close to the pool.

 

[firefowl]

My runner duck does a similar thing. It gets nervous when I get to near it or even when I look at it then it will start to back away and go somewhere else. Only when the chickens are hanging near to me for reason then the duck will be more relaxed.

Then again my chickens are easily spooked too, they are marans so not very sociable. And one barnevelder will completely spaz out if it's by itself near me. I think these animals are hardwired to fear humans due to many generations of people raising them for meat. So I think that's the normal way for them to act unless someone goes exceptionally out of their way to make them friendly.

My birds won't eat treat out of my hand either and that's as much effort as I want to put into making them friendly

 

[Jbently28]

Sounds to me like they are in the schitzo duckling stage where the predator instincts have kicked in full force. I would just keep doing what you're doing and wait for the phase to pass. My female WH was the same way when she was young. Now at a year and a half old, my kids, including my spastic 2 year old, can go up to her and pet her with no problems. In fact, she is my 12 year old's favorite duck out of the 8 that we currently have.

 

[Duckworth]

I have five Welsh harlequins, three of which I raised by hand from a couple of days old. They did the same running in terror thing when they were younger. They are over two years old now and they are much more sedate. Our newer ducks, who arrived two months ago at a year old, still think we are ax murderers. It’s slowly getting better, but even if it doesn’t, it’s not a big problem.

When it comes to the kiddie pool, my original three ducks go right for it when I put fresh water in it, but after they have had a good bath, they are pretty much done with it for the day. They also can be a bit territorial about the pool and try to prevent the newer ducks from getting in, though one of them just gets right in anyway. If there was more space in my enclosure, I would put a second pool in there, but that’s not in the cards.

The older girls will gather around when I put down feed and will hop into the pool while I fill it with the hose. They run if I try to touch or catch them and won’t eat from my hand. I haven’t tried much to hand feed them, so it’s not a surprise. I find all of our ducks to be quite calm unless they feel threatened or we try to touch them, so I think this breed being described as calm is accurate, but doesn’t mean that they are “tame.”

 

[Trimurtisan]

I don't really have any suggestions on how to get them to like you, as I'm pretty much dealing with the same thing. I have four pekin I adopted and did not raise. Unless I have a food bowl in my hand, they don't want anything to do with me.

In regards to keeping them cool however, have you tried using water hose with something like a shower nozzle? At first my ducks would run from the water, and then one of them got split off, and caught in the stream. She stood there for a moment, quacked a couple of times and the others joined her. I often find a couple ducks laying right in the middle of the sun during the heat of the day, with an empty (of ducks) pool.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I don't really have any suggestions on how to get them to like you, as I'm pretty much dealing with the same thing. I have four pekin I adopted and did not raise. Unless I have a food bowl in my hand, they don't want anything to do with me.

In regards to keeping them cool however, have you tried using water hose with something like a shower nozzle? At first my ducks would run from the water, and then one of them got split off, and caught in the stream. She stood there for a moment, quacked a couple of times and the others joined her. I often find a couple ducks laying right in the middle of the sun during the heat of the day, with an empty pool.

Patience ... Try finding some hand carry treats they like, hand carry don't use a food bowl. Have a low stool, sit & sprinkle some around you. As for ducks/geese vs water, I've found make it available & them aware it's there, toss in some lettuce or bread. Once they know it's there, they'll use it when they need to.

 

[austroberta]

I don't really have any suggestions on how to get them to like you, as I'm pretty much dealing with the same thing. I have four pekin I adopted and did not raise. Unless I have a food bowl in my hand, they don't want anything to do with me.

In regards to keeping them cool however, have you tried using water hose with something like a shower nozzle? At first my ducks would run from the water, and then one of them got split off, and caught in the stream. She stood there for a moment, quacked a couple of times and the others joined her. I often find a couple ducks laying right in the middle of the sun during the heat of the day, with an empty pool.

Unfortunately I only have the regular hose and I think if I tried spraying it, it would only cement the notion that I am out to get them.

For the life of me I can't figure out why they prefer the sun over the pool. My runner ducks are actually pretty smart. They get hot, they go in the pool.

 

[austroberta]

Maybe they're not ready for the pool and you putting them in is why they're running the other way. Put some feed/water out by the pool & leave them to get curious enough to try when they are ready.
If digging for bugs they join you, that's the bonding part. They're young yet and need to get used to you. No matter what animal, standing over them is "scary", crouching to their level you're less intimidating. Put a stool out, sprinkle treats around you, talk to them softly, may take some time but bet they come around. Maybe do it close to the pool.

They've used the pool for about 2 weeks now and definitely know how to get in and out. The only thing I can think of is that sometimes when you get too hot, your brain goes on standby mode and you stop thinking and go into a stupor.

I hope it's a question of their getting used to me. You think that after 7+ weeks they might have gotten over the getting used to me part.