The Duck Thread

[Julie Birb]

I think you have a point! Natural instincts. My ducks are just like Kaessa's. All in for the peas, but once the peas are gone, they are done! lol

I have 2 big roosters at my camp (where I am now) and they have gotten so used to us, they come up on the porch, right up to the sliding glass door, I can put my nose on the glass and they don't run, but as soon as I open the door, they move away. Had the door open today, and was in the kitchen, and realized they were right behind me... inside.... trying to get to the dog's food! lol But as soon as I try to touch them, they run. They even stand outside and crow until I open the door, but they still won't let me closer than 6 inches. Won't even eat out of my hand. But they love being very close to us.

O my word. I love these chickens that follow you about here and there but don't let you touch them. They are silly. And very cute. I love that they came into the kitchen. I look at their big puffy bodies and they just beg, 'please squeeze me.'

Maybe some birds just don't like hands and that it is a natural instinct. My birds don't mind if my face or body is close to them but if I bring up my hand, they fly off. I've never ever hurt them before in their lives but they seem to know. It's interesting that your 4some has become hands off. I wonder if some day as they age they will get more accustomed to you and allow it.

 

[Julie Birb]

just keep it up, they are just scared but they will learn. Read the list of treats and see what u can give to them. They will start associating u with giving them goodies and it will make them happy! Since mine were baby's and they are about 2 months now but I have always given them plain yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast! It has become routine. As soon as they hear me up, they start quacking and when they see me come downstairs with their breakfast, they run right to me!!! The way to your duckies heart is through their tummy! You'll see!

Oh, so sweet. The breakfast quacking….

 

[Julie Birb]

I don't think I spend enough time with them to ever get them to come around. I work full time (though I work from home, so I'm here most of the time), and I barely have enough time for all of the other animals that need my attention. Technically, we got them as livestock to produce eggs, so it doesn't bother me too much that they aren't cuddly pets. They were never really intended to be pets at all, but I got attached to them when I was raising them. Love my duckies!

I don't think Peek and Poke will ever come around, but that's ok. They have a good home now, and they like me, so it doesn't bother me at all that they don't want me to touch them.

I am glad Poke and Peek have such a good home. And even if we can't touch our birds, what matters most is how we provide for them and the things we do to make their lives the best they can be. Even though I can't touch mine, I still love them and they provide me with so much entertainment and joy.

 

[Julie Birb]

Julie: maybe it bothers their natural water proofing or painful with feathers , mine doesn't like it but was only way to get them to the pond for first bit as was something new. They get back to the pen easy enough on their own as they can hear the chicks there free ranging, yesterday was first time they let us herd them to the pond instead of having to catch them first and carry them over. Mine are still not fully feathered yet though lol.

That is a thought. Their waterproofing abilities are so important and somehow they probably know that. When you are herding them do they dawdle? I tried herding my friend's ducks a few times and they'd just stop and look around or forage. It was so cute. Eventually I'd had to pick them up one at a time to get them into bed.

 

[Kaessa]

Abba didn't want to go to bed tonight. It was pretty funny.

I had their nightly pea snack, and everyone ran into the duck house to get their peas... except Abba. I even tossed a few her way to lure her over, but you could see it in her face, "I'm NOT going in there tonight!"

So, everyone else got peas and got shut into the duck house, and I had to go catch Abba. I managed to stop her with one hand on her front and the other on her back, so I scritched her feathers a bit and talked to her. She was really listening to me, and was making little quiet conversational duck noises back at me. She wasn't pleased about being held, but not scared, either. I explained to her that I was going to have to pick her up, because all good ducks go to bed at night. She yelled at me when I picked her up, then tucked her bill under my chin and shivered until I brought her to her house. Poor baby. She's always hated being touched, but she did pretty well.

Such a willful little girl. I thought about you, @Julie Bird , because I got to scritch her and hug her. So I had to come and tell you about it.

 

[needlessjunk]

At least someone is enjoying all this flooding! It's insane but my ducks are super happy and I don't even have to fill up their pool for a while. I dumped their 60 gal stock tank on Sat and its overflowing today from all the rain!

 

[Kaessa]

At least someone is enjoying all this flooding! It's insane but my ducks are super happy and I don't even have to fill up their pool for a while. I dumped their 60 gal stock tank on Sat and its overflowing today from all the rain!

Your yard looks like mine, but with more grass. It's been a stinky mudhole all week long. I really need to get the drain system put in for it, but we can't dig the hole until it stops raining and dries out!

You'd never know we live in a desert, it's been raining for weeks.

 

[Smurfbrew]

At least someone is enjoying all this flooding! It's insane but my ducks are super happy and I don't even have to fill up their pool for a while. I dumped their 60 gal stock tank on Sat and its overflowing today from all the rain!

I love how they all have their heads in the water!

 

[needlessjunk]

Your yard looks like mine, but with more grass. It's been a stinky mudhole all week long. I really need to get the drain system put in for it, but we can't dig the hole until it stops raining and dries out! 

You'd never know we live in a desert, it's been raining for weeks.

My yard smells sooooo bad and it drains pretty well considering that we got so much rain and the ground is already saturated. I think the drought is over in TX. The lake rose 20 feet in the last week. We have cement work that needs to get done but that is going to have to wait for a while. They love all the water!

 

[Julie Birb]

Abba didn't want to go to bed tonight. It was pretty funny.

I had their nightly pea snack, and everyone ran into the duck house to get their peas... except Abba. I even tossed a few her way to lure her over, but you could see it in her face, "I'm NOT going in there tonight!"

So, everyone else got peas and got shut into the duck house, and I had to go catch Abba. I managed to stop her with one hand on her front and the other on her back, so I scritched her feathers a bit and talked to her. She was really listening to me, and was making little quiet conversational duck noises back at me. She wasn't pleased about being held, but not scared, either. I explained to her that I was going to have to pick her up, because all good ducks go to bed at night. She yelled at me when I picked her up, then tucked her bill under my chin and shivered until I brought her to her house. Poor baby. She's always hated being touched, but she did pretty well.

Such a willful little girl. I thought about you, @Julie Bird , because I got to scritch her and hug her. So I had to come and tell you about it.

Oh, Kaessa. That is the sweetest story. I am glad you told me about it. Sweet little Abba got hugs. I am glad she wasn't scared being held even if it wasn't her favorite thing. But tucking her bill under your chin makes me think she trusts you rather than flapping and squawking and pulling away. I think it's moments like that that reinforce our love for our birds.