One rebellious duckling in the bunch!!

[Amiga]

I know English peas are what I feed. I think that you need to be careful with some of the other peas you mentioned. Spring sown field peas are supposed to be okay, according to what I read from a Purdue University publication.

Look into that carefully. There is a compound in legumes that is of concern, so I stay away from them pretty much. Most other vegetables are fine. Corn is a nice treat, but low in nutrients so I would look for an alternative. Folks feed corn and scratch as supplements, so it is fairly often done.


So much to be concerned about, anyway.

So, for me, frozen English peas work. I thaw them out and use them as party food and persuasion. If there's a storm coming up fast, I grab the pea bowl to get everyone in to the storm shelter asap, no fooling around.


Have you seen the stickies? There are threads on raising ducklings and duck treats. Love them both.

 

[mag8204]

I have a small pen I sit on the ground next to the fence, I then Heard the ducks sometimes


with help from my Blue Healer into the pen with a Hoop Handle fish net. Sometimes one will make break for it and I will snag it with the fish net. I then stand the small pen up and pick the ducks out one by one and put them in the Elevated Duck house one by one. Sometimes the Campbells will put them selves away by walking up the ramp I built. The Pekings and Rouens will go down the ramp in the morning but will not go up the ramp at night. I am thinking of making another pen lower to the ground for them to get in on there own.




<The Ducks. Picture of Duck House> I know it a long way out but that is the only picture I have. Its 8' long 3' wide 26" tall. The enclosed portion is 2'X3'X26" It is 40" off the ground, which I think is why the ducks dont like going up the ramp.

 

[rlmitchell]

Thank you! I won a bit more trust with Quacker today. I came home at lunch break and then after work and fed them all watermelon (even Quacker ate out of my hand even though she was a bit timid about it. They all went into the house easier tonight as I had a friend who was here (she owns a farm of all kinds of animals) and she herded them with a pole. Not sure i like that idea, but...it worked quickly and at least I wasn't the bad guy! lol

 

[LaceyMae]

Great news!

 

[rlmitchell]

FANTASTIC NEWS! I took the pole and walked to one side of the pond with it. They swam their little waddly butts across the pond and went directly into their house tonight!!!!! This is amazing. I was kind of hoping it could be a bit more personal (you know, a few pats, cuddles and kisses), but, as my husband says, "woman! you need to treat them a bit more like the poultry that they are!

P.S. After they went into their house, I brought them some watermelon and they (even Quacker) ate it out of my hands and let me pat them.

 

[Amiga]

 

[MallardOnni127]

I'd try feeding them by hand and petting them whilst they eat! Also try when you are holding them to feed them peas or another treat they enjoy! This is how I tamed my ducks (1 Mallard, 1 Apricot Call)

 

[AliciaDuckLady]

How old should they be before introducing peas? Mine are 1 week olds?

 

[Amiga]

There are some guidelines here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

And you need to have been giving just a little chick-sized grit for at least a few days before giving anything other than starter crumbles. They need to be able to "chew" their food.