- Apr 22, 2014
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Our first brood of ducklings consisted of 11 ducklings. They were always together except when we took them out to socialize with us. Some liked the socializing, some didn't like to be separated from the rest of the brood so they didn't seem to like it as much. As they got older, we took them out in groups of 2-4 so there would be less stress and they mostly interacted with each other and interacted with us when we had food. Also since there where 11 of them, they probably averaged an hour every other day with us.
This brood consists of 2 ducklings: Noir and Mystique. They are never apart for more than 2 minutes and that is an anxious 2 minutes. They have been socialized together with us and now behave so well that we can watch TV in the evenings with them and even take naps on the floor with them. They aren't imprinted on us since they arrived on day 4 of their lives which is awful late for imprinting and we can leave them in the brooder without too much fuss (sometimes if they are bored, they will fuss quite a bit, but they can be perfectly happy without us too.). But they really, really have no fear of us at all and in fact can bully us a bit sometimes.
As an example, today Noir grabbed a chunk of my hair and pulled HARD. I retaliated by taking my thumb and forefinger, grabbing a little of the fuzz on the top of her head and giving it a tug. Not too hard, but about what they would do to each other. She didn't even react and just continued to lay where she was (she did stop pulling my hair though).
We put a blanket on the floor and sit or lie with them just to be close. Sometimes doing things unrelated to the ducks, but just being close. Today I lay down on the floor with them just to watch them hang out.
They came over and checked me out then Noir climbed over my arm and tried to wedge herself between my head and my arm and Mystique followed suit. Trying to climb over my arm but mostly just sat on top of it occasionally trying to nudge Noir out of the way so she could get in.
I didn't put the ducks there. In fact, they are pretty aggressive doing things like nibbling at my eye to get me to move my head back so they have room. I guess I am just a pushover.
It will be interesting to see how much of this sticks as they mature. They are COMPLETELY different than the last brood at this age, that is for sure!
Edit: Yvonne is equally mobbed by the little darlings.
Here they have climbed up on her shoulder for some hair chewing therapy. We love them dearly but between digging in the claws to get where they want, nibbling on lips, eyes, noses and any piece of skin they can get plus yanking hair, the exclamation "Ow! don't do that." is frequently heard around here, second only to "Don't step on your sister!"
This brood consists of 2 ducklings: Noir and Mystique. They are never apart for more than 2 minutes and that is an anxious 2 minutes. They have been socialized together with us and now behave so well that we can watch TV in the evenings with them and even take naps on the floor with them. They aren't imprinted on us since they arrived on day 4 of their lives which is awful late for imprinting and we can leave them in the brooder without too much fuss (sometimes if they are bored, they will fuss quite a bit, but they can be perfectly happy without us too.). But they really, really have no fear of us at all and in fact can bully us a bit sometimes.
We put a blanket on the floor and sit or lie with them just to be close. Sometimes doing things unrelated to the ducks, but just being close. Today I lay down on the floor with them just to watch them hang out.
They came over and checked me out then Noir climbed over my arm and tried to wedge herself between my head and my arm and Mystique followed suit. Trying to climb over my arm but mostly just sat on top of it occasionally trying to nudge Noir out of the way so she could get in.
I didn't put the ducks there. In fact, they are pretty aggressive doing things like nibbling at my eye to get me to move my head back so they have room. I guess I am just a pushover.
Edit: Yvonne is equally mobbed by the little darlings.
Here they have climbed up on her shoulder for some hair chewing therapy. We love them dearly but between digging in the claws to get where they want, nibbling on lips, eyes, noses and any piece of skin they can get plus yanking hair, the exclamation "Ow! don't do that." is frequently heard around here, second only to "Don't step on your sister!"
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