they run away every time....grrrr

[1sttimer]

how do you get a 10 week old duck not to run away and quack at ou every time i go in the chicken/duck pen?? I have the chickens and my sister (10 years old) has the ducks. she was so afraid that they would bite or scratch her when they were just a few weeks old that she didnt ever hold them and now she wonders why they dont come to her while my chickens fly up on my shoulders. so i was just wondering if anyone knew how to get them to like humans, like any treats or somthing. thanks

 

[T Hi]

1) Buy a bag of frozen peas

2) Let some dethaw

3) Feed to the ducks by hand

4) You will be their best friend in no time!! '

'

 

[1sttimer]

ok thank you very much.... now i have a good bargaining tool hehehe lol

 

[Wifezilla]

Peas are a good bribe for ducks. They are STUPID over peas

 

[Wokawidget]

My Campbell was a little nervous at 1st after we got her...up until about 10 weeks.
I found that meal worms were her drug of choice.

Just feeding her from the palm of the hand worked a treat...but she was still nervous about your hands when she couldn't see any food.

What I did was to take meal worms and hold them in a fist.
She couldn't see them...but she could smell them, and I would make her snuffle my hands and force my fingers open to get at the treats. Once her beak was inside my fist and she was trying to woof down the worms i would very very gently squeeze and apply a little pressure...at 1st she didn't understand, but then saw it as a game to get more food.
Within a few days she wasn't scared of empty hands and in fact actively snuffled your hands for treats even if there were non.

By 13 weeks she was as soft and daft as a brush and completely fearless of humans and hands.

What I have found with my duck, regardless of whether it's training her new commands like a dog or trying to overcome her fear of silly things like a shower head, is repeat, repeat, repeat....rinse and repeat.


Woka

 

[katharinad]

I turn my ducks upside down every day after they get their swim in the bath tub. I mean I put them onto their backs and rub their bellies. They don't like it that much, but have gotten to the point that they tolerate it. No free swim without the belly treatment.

At the same time they did stop running away in the brooder. They stand still and let me grab them. Today I had them outside in large pen for the first time. I was sure they would run like crazy, if they try to catch them. They surprised me. The stood still and let me grab them. They even followed be around calling them. OK they are only 1.5 weeks old, but they are big for their age. They are Saxony ducks. I would suggest to man handle your ducks a lot, even if they scream. Eventually they will get the point that this is normal and you are not here to hurt them. That and tons of treats like fresh corn and peas.
Katharina

 

[Ms.Chunkybutt]

Hi all.. First post here cuz I normally am I lurker But I had to jump in on this one.. I have 3 Pekins that I think are around 5 weeks maybe but I am not sure.. (new to the whole duck thing) they have shied away from me alot since the beginning. Yesterday I bought peas and gave them some and OMG the LOVE me now... Now when I go out to there pen(playpen) in the garage the perk up and trip over themselves to get to the side for more peas!!

 

[1sttimer]

that is so funny that they trip over themselves to get to you as a person but mine trip all over themselves to get AWAY from me its really heart breaking cuz they are adorable

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Don't feel bad, mine do the same thing. And I know they love me. I don't know what it is, or why they do it. I have even tried peas. They won't get close enough to me, to even KNOW that I have peas, let alone to eat them from my hand.

HOWEVER, once I get to them and pick them up, they immediately calm down and start nuzzling and my little Pekin girl likes to eat my hair. I don't mean just play in, but she will pull about 4 inches of hair into her mouth and I pull it out all wet and icky.

It's funny, they run away, quack and freak out until they are secure against my chest and then they're sweet as pie. I don't know why they run, but I say just keep working on it! I'm going to keep bringing peas out for them daily, until one day they calm down and notice I have them

Just hang in there, they still love you!

 

[Wokawidget]

Try this...

Get some dried mealworms from your pet store.
Stand near the critters and throw loads on the floor all around you.
They will munch the ones furthest away 1st then forget about you and before you know it they will soon be eating around your feet.

Then slowly change to feeding from hand...or from the bag of worms.

I strongly believe almost any animal can be tamed and trained to an extent where they will actively come to you even if you don't have food... given a long enough time period and dedication that is. Just remember not to make any sudden movements or noises.

I have personally tamed and trained wild squirrels, rats and birds in my garden....plus many dogs, chickens and a duck. Cats are the only animal I have failed with...but then they are stupid animals that should be illegal.
At an absolute minimum they come on command and take food from your hand...the wild rat was the hardest to train...but it saw the squirrels feeding from my hands and it relaxed a little.

Woka