New Ducks, New Issues, any ideas?

[SweetLilDuckies]

I lost 3 of my 4-duck flock a couple days ago to a predator and bought some new ducks that were being rehomed(I'm pretty sure their all runner mixes), a momma hen with her twelve ducklings(that are a week old) and her boyfriend(he's definitely part runner). However, the people who were rehoming them didn't handle them and used a net to bring out the hen(and maybe the drake, I was collecting the ducklings when they got him out). They run from people and the hen has a fit upon being separated from her ducklings.

**Priority One**I know I need to separate her from the ducklings if I want the ducklings to be friendly like my duck that I've raised(the survivor of the predator attack, he follows us around and can be pet easily and picked up with little fuss). But I know that if I just take them away from the hen she'll have a panic attack and I don't want her to hurt herself. What's the best way to take away her young? Should I just lock her somewhere she can't really hurt herself and take away the ducklings? Or should I slowly take them away, 2 at a time? Should I leave her one or two to raise and raise the others myself? Or is it too late to have them bond with me like my first ducks did?

**Priority 2...?**How can I get the drake and the hen(or just the drake)to be friendly towards people and not run away or freak out at the mere sight of us? Should I corner them one at a time and offer it treats and force-pet it carefully? Or should I just sit in their run and wait for them to warm up to me and tempt them with food? I don't want them to be Lucky's friends if they'll undo the bond he has with me and train him to be afraid of me, and I'm not going to be willing to put up with ducks that can't be friendly.

**Priority 3...? Or maybe it's Priority 2 1/2**And then lastly, how can I integrate Lucky(6 1/2 week old runner) into their flock/family. I pretty much picked them up, brought them home, set them up really quick, then had to leave for work, but I had Lucky in a contained area of the run for him and the drake to kinda meet each other with a barrier and I would like to move him back outside(I couldn't leave him outside alone so I brought him into his temporary inside-coop), but the hen is in the enclosed coop with the ducklings, and he'd be in the run with a shelter with the drake, but I'm not confident enough that he'd be safe with the drake to leave him out there without a barrier between him and the drake. Is there more I can do to help them become friends so that he can move back outside or should I just keep leaving him in a confined area of the run with the drake on the other side of the fence until I can have the drake not be afraid of me so I can supervise playtime without a fence?

Is there anything else I'm missing that needs addressing? If so please point it out, any and all help is welcome and thanked. I hope to have the ducklings separated by this time tomorrow(and I doubt I'll get a response today now seeing how it's pretty late for me), and any advice on how to make that go smoothly before I set about it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have had mainly ducks raise any new additions here and even though they aren't climb into my lap pets they still gather round when I come outside and they will eat out of my hand. My opinion only, why not let mama continue to care for her ducklings and let them settle in and get comfortable in their new surroundings.
As for introducing a new drake to yours best to put up fencing and let them live side by side for a while.

 

[SweetLilDuckies]

I have had mainly ducks raise any new additions here and even though they aren't climb into my lap pets they still gather round when I come outside and they will eat out of my hand. My opinion only, why not let mama continue to care for her ducklings and let them settle in and get comfortable in their new surroundings.
As for introducing a new drake to yours best to put up fencing and let them live side by side for a while.

I would have no problem letting the hen raise the ducklings, except she’s not friendly and is teaching them to fear humans.

I was just outside checking on them(the drake had somehow gotten stuck between the fence and the lower part of the coop(which has wire fencing around it) but don’t worry, he’s fine.) and brought Lucky with me and he was standing next to the drake while he was drinking and he kept telling Lucky to back off, I think. But he’s in a confined area of the run now and I’ll continue doing so for a while.

 

[RichL]

Just one man's opinion here; Mamma's only interaction with humans has been chased netted and generally mistreated. A huge investment in time will be needed to turn her opinion around. I would spend at least 30 min 3 to 4 times a day with her, more if possible. Just sit quietly with her offering treats like meal-worms or peas. you can toss a few to her the first time or two so that she know what you are offering. Then only let her have the treats when she approaches you. It may take a week or more before she will eat from your hand.

She may never willingly allow you to hold her, but I think you can help her overcome most of her bad opinion.

If possible put a blanket and sun shade in her pen and lay down. bring a book or electronic to keep yourself occupied. At first she will try to get as far from you as possible, but rest assured, she will be watching you the whole time. Just ignore her when not offering treats.

Eventually this will become her new routine and she will stop seeing you as a threat. then gradually she will approach you. She may also go through a stage of wanting to bite people. this is a very difficult habit to break, but at least ducks don't have teeth.

You can also bring a little pool with you each time. I let my baby ducks swim in a cooking pot for a few minutes (supervised at all times) Walmart has a tiny 36" Plastic Kiddie Pool for sale right now for $6. It is too small for adult ducks to swim in but the babies will want to play and they will eventually leave mamma to go swimming even though the scary human is there.

Good luck, I think the key is time and patience.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Just one man's opinion here; Mamma's only interaction with humans has been chased netted and generally mistreated. A huge investment in time will be needed to turn her opinion around. I would spend at least 30 min 3 to 4 times a day with her, more if possible. Just sit quietly with her offering treats like meal-worms or peas. you can toss a few to her the first time or two so that she know what you are offering. Then only let her have the treats when she approaches you. It may take a week or more before she will eat from your hand.

She may never willingly allow you to hold her, but I think you can help her overcome most of her bad opinion.

If possible put a blanket and sun shade in her pen and lay down. bring a book or electronic to keep yourself occupied. At first she will try to get as far from you as possible, but rest assured, she will be watching you the whole time. Just ignore her when not offering treats.

Eventually this will become her new routine and she will stop seeing you as a threat. then gradually she will approach you. She may also go through a stage of wanting to bite people. this is a very difficult habit to break, but at least ducks don't have teeth.

You can also bring a little pool with you each time. I let my baby ducks swim in a cooking pot for a few minutes (supervised at all times) Walmart has a tiny 36" Plastic Kiddie Pool for sale right now for $6. It is too small for adult ducks to swim in but the babies will want to play and they will eventually leave mamma to go swimming even though the scary human is there.

Good luck, I think the key is time and patience.

 

[SweetLilDuckies]

Just one man's opinion here; Mamma's only interaction with humans has been chased netted and generally mistreated. A huge investment in time will be needed to turn her opinion around. I would spend at least 30 min 3 to 4 times a day with her, more if possible. Just sit quietly with her offering treats like meal-worms or peas. you can toss a few to her the first time or two so that she know what you are offering. Then only let her have the treats when she approaches you. It may take a week or more before she will eat from your hand.

She may never willingly allow you to hold her, but I think you can help her overcome most of her bad opinion.

If possible put a blanket and sun shade in her pen and lay down. bring a book or electronic to keep yourself occupied. At first she will try to get as far from you as possible, but rest assured, she will be watching you the whole time. Just ignore her when not offering treats.

Eventually this will become her new routine and she will stop seeing you as a threat. then gradually she will approach you. She may also go through a stage of wanting to bite people. this is a very difficult habit to break, but at least ducks don't have teeth.

You can also bring a little pool with you each time. I let my baby ducks swim in a cooking pot for a few minutes (supervised at all times) Walmart has a tiny 36" Plastic Kiddie Pool for sale right now for $6. It is too small for adult ducks to swim in but the babies will want to play and they will eventually leave mamma to go swimming even though the scary human is there.

Good luck, I think the key is time and patience.

Okay, I'll definitely hang out in the run with her and the drake, but I need to take the ducklings away so that I can raise them to be friendly. I think I'll have to end up doing the same process with the ducklings and the hen doesn't want me to be near them or her.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I don't understand your need to take the ducklings away from their momma. Don't let the drake get in on this but make a safe place for the mom and kids to be. But that's just my opinion. Seems like they've already had enough trauma in their lives to be ripped away from momma duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[SweetLilDuckies]

I don't understand your need to take the ducklings away from their momma. Don't let the drake get in on this but make a safe place for the mom and kids to be. But that's just my opinion. Seems like they've already had enough trauma in their lives to be ripped away from momma duck.

The hen(Hailey)isn't friendly and because of it the ducklings are afraid of me. If I can, I would like to try and get the ducklings to be very friendly(able to be picked up, pet, and hopefully follow us around), but at most able to be touched without much fuss and not afraid of us. If Hailey was friendly then I would be more than happy to let her raise the ducklings, and I know it's less than ideal, but I think it's the best way to get the temperaments I want out of them.

 

[Khaki mama]

The best situation is to leave the ducklings with their momma but if you really want to gather the ducklings I wouldn't take them away for the entire day without momma around. I would reccomend gaining the moms trust enough that she will come close to you and then give the ducklings some treats too. And if it's possible eventually try to hold one. And like RICHL said it's all about patience. Also talk to them a lot, because its important that they can recognize your voice. Try to have a saying when you enter your duck coop, for example I just say "hey guys" just so they know it's me.