Secret to getting them to stop running away?

[zooweemama]

My first batch of ducklings are 3 weeks old. The first week they were very friendly and curious. Now at 3 weeks old and in their coop they run away from me like I am going to murder them. I am their main caretaker. Only 2 times in their life has anyone else offered them food or water. I have fed them, watered them, bathed them, given the salads, handled them (to move them), am the last one to see them at night and first one they see in the morning. But yet they run like headless chickens when I step foot in their coop. Am I doing something wrong? Is it a ages/stages thing? Are they just skittish? Maybe they will outgrow this?

Is there something else I can do with them to gain their trust? Or at 3 weeks is it too late?

Any tips I can use with my new batch of ducklings? They were hatched Monday - so they are fresh fresh fresh. LOL

Thanks so much!

 

[gryeyes]

Ducklings go though a "terrified" stage of development. It's not just yours and you. Be patient, keep doing what you're doing, and eventually they will be less and less afraid of you.

Honest.

 

[jdywntr]

Treats. Peas, lettuce, tomatoes etc. And patience.

 

[jessiduck]

Just be very patient and make slow movements towards them. You can try to bribe them by putting food or treats in your hand and see if they eat any of it. Just be as calm as you can be around them.....it's almost as if they can smell nervousness

.

 

[Amiga]

True confessions - when the runners went through this, I would enter the brooder room as low as I could go, always announced myself gently before opening the door, and did not pressure them. I even let them out into the hallway while I cleaned their brooder.

After brooder cleaning, I would give them peas, then give them a few minutes to decide it was safe to go back into the brooder.

Mercy.

Several weeks later, they were over it. And soon they started being sweet again, coming up for hugs, sitting right next to me, noodling around with shoelaces and such.

But it's a tough phase.

 

[Suebrose2000]

Mine are about 4 weeks old and are the same way. It's good to hear that it is a phase.

 

[zooweemama]

Thanks so much for the reassurance. I was getting a little worried there. I'll keep doing what I am doing and add treats as soon as I get a hold of some grit.

 

[Chickiee]

Our 2 TSC Pekin ducklings have always run from us, except for treats. They don't want to be touched or picked up though. I thought it was a duck thing since these are our first 2. The chicks in the brooder with them love to be picked up and run to me when I'm giving them new food, talking to them, etc. Everyone is 5 weeks now and going to the coop in a week or 2 (coop being built and getting finished now). I've given them lettuce as a treat... Ducks seems to love it, but I'll try peas too. I'm happy to hear they may "warm up" to us. We are giving them a gentle loving home and there's no reason for them to be afraid to be touched.

 

[gryeyes]

We are giving them a gentle loving home and there's no reason for them to be afraid to be touched.

No "human" reason, anyway. Ducks just go through that phase.... They may or may not turn into cuddle-bugs later. Mine will eat out of my hands, and tug on my clothes and some of them nibble my arms, but they're far less touchy-fee lie than my chickens.

Peas happen to be the Universal Duck Treat. Especially tossed, frozen, into their wading pool!

 

[Chickiee]

Lol, yes gryeyes, no human reason. I wasn't looking at it from duck perspective. . I love the headsup about peas people here have been mentioning. My ducks seem to really go crazy bonkers over Dandelions. Thank goodness I have enough of them all over the yard!