To keep or not to keep

[buddhabrahma905]

i recently bought two female Pekin ducklings at the local feed store with the intent of them being layers and family pets. Six weeks later, they are skittish, fearful of humans, and loud despite hours of bonding. This behavior contradicted everything we'd ever read about them being calm and amicable. Should I keep them around in the hopes that they'll mellow out or give them away and start fresh with Khaki Campbells or Welsh Harlequins.

 

[Amiga]

Can you give us the run down of their routines and surroundings?

Water with food 24/7? What kind of food, temperature in the brooder, other animals, how large their brooder is, time outdoors, whatever comes to mind. Not trying to be critical, trying to get a picture of how things are with them.

Ducklings do go through a period - often starting around 3 weeks of age - where they are very very nervous about anything over their heads, or any time they feel cornered.

Are they sung to? I think you have been working on some things, but I don't always recall.

 

[Kaessa]

They're going to be loud. They're all loud, unless you get Muscovies. Have you compared them to other ducks? Pekins are usually pretty calm compared to other breeds. My Khaki is super jumpy, though she's the first one to run to me for peas.

Ducks are skittish creatures by nature. I have four that I hand raised, and two that were neglected rescues, and the only difference between them is that the hand raised ducks will come running to eat out of my hand if I have treats. Mostly.

Are you looking for a snuggly duck pet?

 

[buddhabrahma905]

They live with our mini goats, but they have a house all to themselves. They're being fed standard waterfowl feed, they're not in a brooder anymore because they're fully feathered. I try to make it a point to talk to them regularly. @Amiga

 

[Mrs.H]

Could the goats be stressing them out??? I have goats myself and boy they can be crazy lol, jumping running etc. Ducks are skittish even when friendly. I would see how they do away from the goats

 

[buddhabrahma905]

Could the goats be stressing them out??? I have goats myself and boy they can be crazy lol, jumping running etc. Ducks are skittish even when friendly. I would see how they do away from the goats

The thing is, the ducklings were raised with them since they were young and it's never been a problem till now. The only other place to put them is in with the chickens, which just won't work. And they're not friendly towards humans, they run screaming every time someone so much as walks by the pen.

 

[Amiga]

We need a duck whisperer for these ducks. I am not kidding. My ducks are Runners, and they are not skittish at all. Energetic, yes, but those ducks have nerves of steel. Yes, they will move away from a threat. They got startled when a hawk took a squirrel off the top of their day pen. But loud motorcycles, kids running around the neighborhood, they watch, but don't panic. When two Rottweilers were rushing their pen, yes, they were nervous. But ten minutes after I removed the offending pups, we were back to normal.

How much protein is in their feed? Wondering if B vitamins might help.

Just wondering.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

We need a duck whisperer for these ducks.  I am not kidding.  My ducks are Runners, and they are not skittish at all.  Energetic, yes, but those ducks have nerves of steel.  Yes, they will move away from a threat.  They got startled when a hawk took a squirrel off the top of their day pen.  But loud motorcycles, kids running around the neighborhood, they watch, but don't panic.  When two Rottweilers were rushing their pen, yes, they were nervous.  But ten minutes after I removed the offending pups, we were back to normal.

How much protein is in their feed?  Wondering if B vitamins might help.

Just wondering.

yeah no kidding. Their feed is approximately 16% protein.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

I believe for the time being that I'll keep them, as I tried handling them today, and they screamed and ran when I walked toward them, but quieted down once I actually picked them up. Out of curiosity though, are Pekins respectable egg layers? I've heard mixed things about them. And are Khaki Campbell's really as flighty as they say or are they just mislabeled?

 

[Kaessa]

I believe for the time being that I'll keep them, as I tried handling them today, and they screamed and ran when I walked toward them, but quieted down once I actually picked them up. Out of curiosity though, are Pekins respectable egg layers? I've heard mixed things about them. And are Khaki Campbell's really as flighty as they say or are they just mislabeled?

I only have one, so not a very representative sample, but she's the jumpiest out of all of my ducks. However, she's the first one to come running up to me if I have peas, so there's that.