My pet Romeo has gone mad! He's charging and biting my feet!! D: Help!

[Moochie]

because he was hand raised, fed from your hand, held, cuddled and kissed. he doesn't know better because he was made to believe you are one of the flock and he is a teen aged boy full of hormones who doesn't know how to properly control them. He has no respect for you or your mom because he doesn't know you are alpha.

he needs to be retrained as Oregon said. This doesn't involve kicking him as Amb3r suggested as it can severely injure him. If you really want to keep him i suggest chatting with Oregon about retraining methods, her advice is something you can follow knowing it wont possibly cause harm to them, and will most likely result in you keeping him and being happy again.

(inexperienced people or those very young often give off hand advice that isnt the best to follo

Yep, held, cuddled and kissed yesterday

I've actually never gotten that close to him until yesterday. I'm not going to kick him, I don't kick animals or people. One other poster suggested some training stuff, I'll try that in the evening today when there's more shade and less sun. Don't other people hand feed their animals?
Anyways, for the time being I'm going to start wearing boots and pants when I'm in the pen with them. Hee-hee can't bite me then

And gloves in case he goes after my fingers. Maybe a mask too... When I was squatting he tried to go for my face. I will still re-home him but I'm going to re-train him first so no one else has to deal with his behavior. This will definitely be a learning experience.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We never hand feed any of our animals ever. We keep goats, geese, ducks, chickens and rabbits. They know we feed them, they know we bring treats, but they eat from feeders and treat pans not our hands. All human members of our family are alpha to the animals, and hand feeding doesnt encourage that. Our full grown adult geese will give way to our now 18 month old son when he walks towards them, not a one will drop a head or threaten because we have taught him how to walk around them already, and them to respect him and his space. Even with three flocks of free ranging ducks, not a single drake has even posed a risk either.

We use bamboo poles, or 1/4" pvc poles as herding guides. They also are great ways to add distance between you and a bird needing to pushed away for nipping. A catch net acts like a nice buffer as well. We have one that hangs outside of our Mandarin aviary for catching them as needed.

 

[Moochie]

Well that's your thing, I've never had any problems with my chickens from hand feeding, only chickens from other people. A year ago we got a year old barred rock rooster from someone who said "oh yeah he's nice" and I didn't feed him from my hand, neither did my mom, but he flogged us alot. I walked past him as I was going to throw some scratch on the ground and he went kung-fu on my leg. He didn't stay very long with us. I've gotten mixed behaviors from my roosters, even if I hand feed them some will be bad some will be good. Haven't had a problem with the ducks till now.
I'm not a goose person, when I was younger my friend had a pair of african geese and they chased me around their jacuzzi. Being 10 years old at the time it scared the poop out of me, I had to hop on the jacuzzi (it was covered) and waited until the geese left. Her chickens were nice and could be held, you could feed her ducks from hand with soft grass, the geese were by themselves under a tree and I walked a little close to them to get a good look at them and they chased me. Ofcourse, I was 10 years old I didn't know much about geese.

Even though Romeo is being a turd this all quite interesting. Can he not tell that I'm not a duck? Should I start clucking like the chickens?

 

[Nebraskagirl]

Nah, I wouldn't start clucking yet I rescued my very first duck over three weeks ago and he will get a bit nippy at our feet. I simply turn him around and if he turns again and starts in, I tell him "NO" firmly and keep pushing him away (gently) until he backs off. It is nothing horribly bad, but he DOES do it. Maybe this will help. It sounds like your animals have a great home.
Kicking the animal? Really? The ONLY time I have ever kicked at a bird was a giant rooster when I was little and that thing was gonna rip me to shreds; yep I gave him the boot, but I was little and scared.

 

[Moochie]

He was at it again and I tried something similar to what you described Nebraskagirl. I pushed him with my hand towards another direction while firmly say "STOP IT NO!", took a couple tries but he shooed off until I started walking around again. My dad told me to carry a fly swatter with me and give him a good "shmeck", as my dad calls it, on the head.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

My Khaki Campbell was doing it too a bit ago. I just turn him around and don't talk to him except to say "No" and it usually works. Keep it up, you are going great. I wouldn't smack him unless he kept hurting you or kids, then a light "tap" beside him (swat the ground, not the duck) might tell him you mean business.

 

[RubberDuckee]

Well...Amb3r was on the right track...

A firm, but restrained "thump" on the bill, or a controlled "switch" to the rear, or a 'gentle, but "I am bigger than you" nudge' with the foot can help him REMEMBER that you are the boss. Every now and then, even the very best of us forget that we are not the boss of everyone around us. We all need a little reminding now and then. That is why they call it "tough love." When used properly, structure and discipline ARE a form of love.. not hate...

Ducks don't speak "people." So, the only language they know is body language. We ALL need to be taken down a "notch or two" every now and then... and that IS OKAY... We learn and we grow and we become better people through making mistakes and subsequently changing our behavior. Ducks are the same... Sometimes "mommy and daddy ducks" just need to remind their "children" who is in charge.

In the wild.. what would the true mama duck do? Well... she'd probably peck the heck out of him... hehe. No need for you to peck him... just a gentle, but commanding reminder is needed...

 

[Moochie]

I imitate pecking behavior with my chickens. Sometimes one of the grown hens will jump onto my back and when I shake them off I give them swift "pecks" with my hands and then they leave. They act the same way whenever the bossy hens peck them, cower and retreat.
I'm a little ehh about imitating pecking with Romeo.. I have to wear gloves for sure. Today I was throwing bean sprouts into their pen and he hopped up and bit my hand. And I did tap him with a fly swatter... I tapped him on the bill and on his sides in a constant, annoying matter until he went the other direction, not enough to hurt him. I didn't know ducks could jump either o_o

 

[Amb3r]

Awesome post RubberDuckee!

You have to convey your message to the Duck in its language!

I would never beat my Dog for destroying the plants or digging holes in the yard. It means the dog has problem with digestion or an overgrown nail. But if a Rooster or Drake attacks me, it'd get a "swift kick" so he knows not to mess with me or any other animal/bird/child. (Generally the young roos and drakes filled with testosterone would act this way!) It's always best for the birds to have a pecking order!! My best friend's father has 27 Elephants, I am not joking, the young bull Elephants during musth becomes uncontrollable. And they are controlled using the Older bull elephants! So, you gotta emulate the pecking order in your case if you cannot find dominant older drakes!

I said a swift kick, not a TKO! Sheesh, there is nothing inappropriate or lack of judgement (inexperience) about it.

Alternatively, you can catch that bugger and carry him around singing Baby (Justin Bieber song). He will never want to come close to you again!

My Friend is a Hindu, and they use the Elephants for Temple festivities and they also act in movies, lol. you can watch it here:

 

[Nebraskagirl]

Woah, 27 Elephants? Wonder how much feed THAT takes! I understand your post now, I get where you are coming from. I don't have elephants, but my Uncle and I have wild mustangs he purchases from the Bureau of Land Management and careful training (no whips, spurs and tie downs ever!) he can transform them into the best cattle horses. Like I found out this weekend riding a 3 year old gelding, you have to take them down a notch with the reins to the rear end, otherwise you are in for a wild ride Sounds like drakes need the same thing with a swift swat or nudge.