Hi all , I got a pekin duckling from the fair . He or she has Been w me since two weeks ago . Can't tell his or her age for sure . Was tiny w some tail feathers peaking out like starting to and now it's more but his or her body is still like 95 percent yellow fluff if not more . He or she has grown twice as big . Not sure if it's a giant pekin or standard one . Ok the point lol ... I have handled him or her since day 1 for two or one and a half hours at a time ... And he or she seems ok w me and picks at my clothes in a soft ok way not angry and follows me around . And cries louder if I leave the room . Even tried to jump out of brooder box yesterday ... I'll guess he or she is 3-4 weeks of age ..... Or two and a half maybe ? I have no clue how to know if he or she was day old when I got him or her but he or she was small . Anyway , he or she lets me pet it and doesn't freak when I reach over to pet . And usually is ok w being scooped onto my lap and petted and closes it's eyes sometimes like ah it feels good ...and sometimes seems eager to get off and run some w energy . The thing is it has begun to mouth my finger tips . Not painfully or enough to cut skin or make me red . My nails are brightly painted and I feel that's why maybe and lightly on my toes too ... Once in awhile seems to stand straight up and spread wings for a second and stand normal again and shake it's tail feathers and looks like a stretch . Is that aggression or does it require them to stay straight up w chest out along w hissing? He or she doesn't do that much and walks up to me easily and seems calm and ok . Could it be stretching ? I had him or her on my lap and then I placed him or her back on the floor (I was sitting on ground ) and he or she did that above behavior accompanied w tail shake and continued on normal . Once in awhile he or she turns head to my hand petting and nibbles very softly and continues grooming himself or herself ... Maybe I am reading too into it. Last two days it's been more mouthy w my fingers and toes . Again not roughly just mouthing .... I can't seem to find on the web signs of affection or aggression . I have made it a point to spend one to two hours at a time since day 1 w the duckling . He or she will hand feed and I have fed meal worms. Is that it's way of saying I want meal worms? Lol behavior seemingly began after that recently .. Yet my toes too . And as usual tries to nibble my lip piercing jewelry and earrings .. If I put him or her on my shoulder it stays and grooms itself and nibbles my hair too lol . Stays there unless it stumbles off.... So no open mouth hissing behavior which I heard is aggression and I swear when I picked him or her up randomly yesterday he or she of course moved their leg like to gain balance as I held him or her against me but made a hollow rasp sound . Mouth was closed and sounded more like a nostril dry whistle sound . Is that drake sound? Lol can you tell at 2 and a half to 4 weeks ? Not even tell if he or she is 4 weeks even . Most ducklings I have seen on here seem pretty feathered or enough at 4 weeks and he or she isn't still mostly fuzzy with tail feathers kinda being there and fluffy down butt fluffing. Sorry on the detail . How can you tell between playful behavior slash affection and aggression ? Sometimes when I pet the duckling when it's on the floor next to me he or she stands there not scared and picks at my shorts and the strings and I keep petting and no negative reaction happens ... And when I pet sometimes he or she dives off to eat or drink and explore a little and most times stays put. How can you tell between imprinted duckling versus a duckling who just is used to you and follows you around and seems mostly fine w you ???
how much a day is sufficient for bonding ? I spend a hour to two hours at a time a couple times a day is that too less?
