Scared 5 week old runner ducks

[TKB07]

Hi, i just got two 5 week old runner ducks from a befriended farmer. They were hatched naturally and looked after by their mom together with their 15(!) other brothers and sisters. At the farm they would roam the land (in flock) and eat out of my friends hand. Although skittish, together with their siblings they seemed quite brave.

We've had them at home for 3 days now, and they are absolutely terrified of me and everything it seems. They have a lovely new coop and outside run, but once out in the run they cower in the corner all day long.. There's a water basin in the run, which i had placed in the corner. They sat in that ALL day on the first day. The day after I moved it to the middle of the run, and they didnt use it at all. Today and yesterday theyve continued to cower in the corner of the run again.

Food hasn't won them over (although 3 days is still very short i know) and yesterday i left the door open for them to go in the garden and they got so spooked they both panicked, ran into the garden in opposite directions and hid all day long. After looking all day long I finally found them both wedged in the tiniest of corners and had to eventually pick them up and take them back inside before dark.

I'm worried i've made the wrong decision by taking them from the farm and that the stress is harming them. I don't expect them to be overly friendly as i know they're a skittish breed. But i'm giving them a heart attack anytime i get near. Any advice? Will things get better over time? Or should i take them back to the farm and hand-raise very young chicks instead?

Thanks a lot,

 

[nuthatched]

Considering they were basically feral before, just give them a few weeks to get used to people let alone you. They'll manage

 

[ruthhope]

Hi, i just got two 5 week old runner ducks from a befriended farmer. They were hatched naturally and looked after by their mom together with their 15(!) other brothers and sisters. At the farm they would roam the land (in flock) and eat out of my friends hand. Although skittish, together with their siblings they seemed quite brave.

We've had them at home for 3 days now, and they are absolutely terrified of me and everything it seems. They have a lovely new coop and outside run, but once out in the run they cower in the corner all day long.. There's a water basin in the run, which i had placed in the corner. They sat in that ALL day on the first day. The day after I moved it to the middle of the run, and they didnt use it at all. Today and yesterday theyve continued to cower in the corner of the run again.

Food hasn't won them over (although 3 days is still very short i know) and yesterday i left the door open for them to go in the garden and they got so spooked they both panicked, ran into the garden in opposite directions and hid all day long. After looking all day long I finally found them both wedged in the tiniest of corners and had to eventually pick them up and take them back inside before dark.

I'm worried i've made the wrong decision by taking them from the farm and that the stress is harming them. I don't expect them to be overly friendly as i know they're a skittish breed. But i'm giving them a heart attack anytime i get near. Any advice? Will things get better over time? Or should i take them back to the farm and hand-raise very young chicks instead?

Thanks a lot,

These little ones are too small to be out in your garden. Particularly, while they are so uptight, they need to be in a small safe environment that they can gradually explore and accept as their own.

What are you feeding them? Is that the same as what the farmer was feeding them? They might find peas in a shallow dish irresistible.

BTW, its often better to have 3 ducklibgs so that if anything happens to one, you are not left with a single very lonely duck