Ok, so I picked up 2 more Khaki Campbell's today, I now have a total of 3. They are 11-12 weeks old. I read all these posts on here about peoples ducks LIKING them... Mine are terrified of people??? How can I fix this? I suspect it must be because the previous owner would round them up for sale by netting them.... which means chasing them around in a large group. I really want ducks who like me!
Quote:Best thing to do is to just spend time outside with them. Don't give them a big open space to roam around in when you out with them, that way they will be close but have enough space that they don't feel threatened. Then start offering them treats, peas, scratch, meal worms. etc. start by putting it on the ground not to far away and then gradually over a period of time closer and closer till you offering it out of your hand. It will take time but you'll do it. Also talk to them in a calm voice, even sing while outside doing things. You need to gain their trust. before you know it they will be right there with you, just be patient.
I would be hard pressed to add anything to Miss Lydia's post. It just takes time. My khakis and buffs went through a humans are ax murderers stage whether we hand raised them or acquired them as adults. They will come around with time and attention.
Our 6 week old Welsh Harlequin that we hatched also act like we are the horror of horrors..!!! None of our other birds act this way, why are ducks so skiddish? Possibly because there was 6 of them from the beginning they haven't bonded with humans? ?????
Well they are prey. that said it takes alot of time and patience to get ducks to trust us, I don't know if they have feeling like they like us or hate us though. We have ducks that are 9yrs old down to 3 weeks old and I can tell you it's amazing how they respond to us is how we act around them, I try not to walk fast but I don't coddle them either, if i need to get the wheel barrow I just push it past them and let them react how ever, I don't try and pick them up unless absolutely necessary, if i have to pick them up I usually wait till they go into their house in the eve. We can go out at any time of day and sit down and they come around looking to see if we have snacks. but I think they do like to be around us at other time also because most of them will just lay around close to where we are sitting, They are awesome animals but like someone said they aren't lap pets, But I do think we can build a relationship with them by sitting with them and giving treats and letting them feel secure with us. It does take time but it is very much worth it.
We have 5 ducks now. Our 1 y/o + Cayuga has just, this summer, become calm enough to greet me in the morning when it's breakfast time. She's to the point that she'll wait by the fence until she sees me and then she just plops down and waits for her "loves". I can now rub under her wings, pick her up and put her on my knee and play with her bill and check her over. Once the food is out in their feeder it's "See ya Pops!". This is coming from a duckling who would run around like a crazed maniac if we even got 10 feet from her. Our quickest "taming" was our Blue Swede. At first he was VERY scared but we got him with a KC which are nervous birds anyway. Now,however, at under 6 months old, he'll eat out of our hands while his brother, the Khaki, will only eat what's fallen out onto the ground, but it is an improvement from 2 months ago. Our two new baby Muscovies took about a week of having them until they started to eat from our hands and even hop up into them when it was time for cuddles or to go outside. It's all individual duck dependent. Ducks aren't naturally cuddly pets, but like everyone has said you can get them to a certain point that THEY are comfortable with. It may not be the closeness you want, but you just kinda have to enjoy them to their own comfort zone. I don't push myself on them....I just let them let ME know what kind of relationship they want. I'm just happy to have my feather babies to take care of and love...even if it's from a distance.
Getting your duck to like you is easiest with the power of imprinting after hatching them. those who have imprinted on other ducks become distant from people and those who have been chased become even further distant. but like everyone here has said no matter what the situation with patience, time and love you can get them to like and love you. they will warm to you over time but as others have said it takes time mine are hatched by me and i cant leave them alone for long at all otherwise the become depressed. when im home the quack and quack until i bring them in and they sit with me on my bed watching me type XD
