My ducks hate me.

[dpedroniduck]

i need help too. i have 2 pekin ducks that are about 5 weeks old and while they do like to be around people and peep/quack loudly when they’re alone with each other, they still hate to be picked up or pet and run away whenever i get close (and of my family members i’m the most bonded with them). even when i hold them when they don’t give me too much trouble and if i put them on my lap they try to get away as fast as they can or struggle and they rarely follow me when i let them outside anymore. they weren’t like this when they were younger. and i’ve heard pekins are really friendly and supposed to be almost like dogs in terms of loyalty and friendliness, so i kinda was expecting it to not be like this at all. where did i go wrong? i also handled them plenty as babies and continue to handle them. i was the one that wanted ducks and i love ducklings they are so cute i just feel like i did something wrong along the way that they don’t like me as much anymore

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are going through their teens an afraid of everything give them time patience and sit with them they will eventually get over this and love being around you. Never force yourself on them just be there.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

I have 7 ducks, 3 golden 300s, 2 swedish, one black, one blue, and one cayuga, and one white layer. They are around five months old, and three have started to lay. They run from anything that goes near their pen. When they were little, all they would do was run, and jump out of my hands, even if it was a few feet off the ground. When they were older, we moved them into a shaving filled stall with a flock of chicks.(see profile photo) we tried everything to make them less scared. Feeding them peas, carrots, cob,dried mealworms, picking them up, everything. Eventually, they became less scared, but then we would go break all their trust by giving them a bath because they got soooo dirty. I felt a little disappointed. But I kinda just accepted the fact that they were just going to be skittish, and I think they are one of the best animals in the property, and even though they are skittish, I still really love them. (Also,we refers to the fact that my sibling helped with the ducks)

 

[dpedroniduck]

They are going through their teens an afraid of everything give them time patience and sit with them they will eventually get over this and love being around you. Never force yourself on them just be there.

okay. i was hoping it was something like that. sometimes i have been chasing them to pick them up just because i can’t control myself but i always make sure to feed them treats both when i’m holding them and after so they have something positive to associate with the experience. i will try being more patient and letting them come to me to feed them treats and not chase them or make them do anything they don’t want to do. at least too much haha

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Ducklings are just weird with people at that age. My ducks were like that when they were that age and were super sweet after a few months.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Plus what does a predator do they chase them down. I know there are times when we have to pick them up but I only do it when it’s necessary but boy bring out the shovel to look for worms or get out the mealworms and it’s like I am their best friend.

 

[dpedroniduck]

so just have to be patient and eventually they will become more laid back? just keep spending time with them, feeding them treats occasionally, and DON’T chase them unless necessary?

 

[Trisseh]

I find with mine that the breed made a difference, but mostly it came down to the individual. The friendliest one I had was a silver appleyard drake that had leg issues and I strongly believe he put up with me to begin with because it was easier than trying to run away. He became my buddy and followed me literally everywhere if he could. I sold him to a lady that had unrelated birds because I didn’t want sibling babies. Haha. My appleyard female is friendly, comes running when I go in their pen, but doesn’t like to be picked up. I had 2 Swedish as well and the one I kept is wary but nice, she prefers to be nearby but not to be touched. The other Swedish I had was insane and no matter what you did she acted like you were the devil incarnate; she actually bit and scratched and fought if you had to pick her up for any reason. She went to a hands off home where she’s in a large flock of free ranging birds. I kept the ones I liked the best and that were compatible with me, because I like to be hands on with my animals. These girls will come right over and eat out of my hand if I have treats which is enough for me. Lol.
And then, there’s my home hatched duckling that wants to be held constantly and follows me around like a puppy. And that one is a runner, so go figure.

 

[dpedroniduck]

i also find that mine prefer to forage and such on their own than be with me constantly though they do like me being present with them. is it something similar to them just needing to establish independence a bit as they emerge into adulthood?

 

[Quackup]

What seems to be working with my week old hatchlings is sitting down beside their brooder and calmly resting my hand on the bottom long enough for them to not remain huddled up in the corner together. They still shy away when I slowly reach toward the one I choose to "acclimate" but aren't totally freaking out by then.

I try not to panic them when I carefully, but forthrightly, pick up my choice for that day's orientation. The last thing I want to do is chase them around the brooder with a clumsy hand, so I'm patient to wait for the best opportunity and try to be coordinated about it.

As soon as I get my little captive away from the others, it starts peeping fearfully which makes me feel a little badly about disturbing it despite me being as gentle as I can be. I carry the little fuzzy outdoors and set it down in the yard slowly and carefully.

If I walk toward the duckling, it wants to move away from me, but if I slowly walk away from it while speaking in my reassuring "duck tones", the little peeper seems to begin seeing me more as it's protector, or else the lesser of multiple possible evils, and begins to follow me to the wet grassy area I prepared for it beforehand in the yard.

The tiny wet spots I created in the grass that I led the duckling too is greeted with great delight sooner or later depending upon how brave a particular duckling's temperament is to begin with. I did this with our strong and brave little Mallard we call Samson for example and he was in seventh duck heaven immediately.

So the next time around, I brought another duckling with me that followed Samson's lead and he or she also enjoyed the new adventure. In fact they would hang around my shoes or even get up on top of my feet briefly while enjoying the irresistible pleasures of turf combined with water.

It was pretty easy to pick them both up again to return to the brooder after their romp. Samson's reaction to the whole affair was to stand tall, flap his little wing stubs, wiggle his tail and take a nap.

That's a start. We'll see how it ultimately works out.