Hey there! We recently just got some ducklings (6 khaki campbells). They are as cute as ever, and doing very well, but they DESPISE being held and are scared of our hands (unless there's food in them). I was really hoping to have some people friendly ducks for our first time, have any of you out there ever overcome skiddish ducks by just handling them a lot and letting them get used to people or is it a lost cause? Also, we have two young goslings (embdens) in with them and were wondering if we want them to be more friendly when they grow up if it'd be a good idea to seperate them from the ducklings so they get used to people and not just the duckling's fear of people. Any advice would be appreciated! Here are the messy babies
my duck gary was reeallly skittish when he was young. We kinda left him alone and just talked to him. he was raised with 2 chicks which we held. Now Gary stalks me. He runs after me and lets me pet him .he's 1 year now and i like him better then the chickens. he nibbles on my legs and tries to trip me. I think he WUVS me. Ducks take longer to handle then chickens but when they let you love them , they love you back!!! GARY THE DUCK and our new guy OBAMA
I think sometimes "handling" ducklings can make them more nervous about people, because in general they hate being picked up. I have some very friendly pekin ducklings, that will jump in my lap to cuddle, but still hate to be picked up or held. What I do with mine is take a couple at a time out of the brooder and sit down and let them climb all over me. When they are young they will usually not go very far, and will stay with you. If you put one in your lap, the others will generally jump in to join. Just spending time with them is far better to make them freindly than handling them, IMO.
i have the most imprinted sweetest indoor cuddly ducks and they HATE being picked up. I think it makes them think they are being snatched up by a winged predator.
My ducklings did not like to be picked up either. Now they are six weeks old and getting BIG. They do not run from me like they did before because I talk to them and shake the food container as I approach the pen. They seem to FINALLY be coming around. I felt like you did but in time they will get comfortable with you and their surroundings.
