My ducks don't love me

[fishinchicken]

I have been working for 4 weeks to "break" my ducks from thier wild ways. I got them at 1 day old but they don't want anything to do with me. i've tried treats and swimming in the tub...that they love but they freak out if we go near them or try to interact with them in anyway. When I turn them out to the duck house and pond will it be the same way or do you think they will come to me for food?

 

[julie75]

Give it time. I read somewhere that it can take up to 8 months for ducks to realize you are not a predator. Three of my ducks are not "people" ducks. They do not like to be held and petted, but I do it anyhow lol. They free range during the day and do not want any part of getting near me unless the hawks are flying over and they want to travel across the yard to get to the other pond. Then they are my little shadows. I always announce myself before they actually can see me, and that seems to make a difference. They do recognize that I am the person with the food and the treats. I always put their treats in a red bowl, and when they see me coming with that bowl thay will hurry back to their pen and wait on me.

 

[JP101010]

As slow and boring as it might sound , I find success with sitting on the ground in a small space ( how small or big depending on how frightened they are initially ) with ducks that are hungry and ready to eat.. food in hand. the smaller and quieter you are , the more food you have , the less fear they will have. with several times of introducing soft talk as they are enjoying favorite treats or foods either a foot away , at your feet or in your hand- whichever they will be comfortable to start with. you will see that each session ( which should be brief- possibly right before a naturally occuring positive reinforcment example: the morning let out, pool time,) they will view you as non threatening, better than average food source. soon just your soft talk alone will make them think treats and or food will follow. eventually you fade out food as a constant reward- but the bond does not fade. ducks hate to be chased, held down or forced to do anything. also if they are not domesticated ducks, and are from the wild you will have a much harder time ( its instinct) and i personally think in groups they are harder to tame because of a sort of " group panic mode". if you have tried methods that have stressed them it may take you longer , but its certainly not impossible. remember stay ground level, go slow , let them come to you until you see progress-talk soft and lots of goodies- worms feeder fish, cream cheese , chicken feed, duck chow , etc.
good luck! hope this helps

 

[thebritt]

I agree with the previous posters. I might add (if I missed it) that adding a call of some kind, such as a whistle, or imitating a duck noise for "the food is here", and tossing treats when they hear that call, should, theoetically, cause the ducks to associate your call and presence with treats. Good luck! I hope to be hatching some runners soon, and I think that's the approach I'll use.

 

[Crayonsmom]

We've never had much luck with keeping our ducks friendly. We've had them for nearly a year, and every time we go near them, it's loud quacking, feathers flying, ducks gone wild!