trying to train ducks... LOL

[ilovemuscovy]

okay i know this sounds ridiculous.. but i know muscovy ducks are intelligent (at least it seems that way when they find ways to escape enclosure). so i don't see why they can't be trained.. anyway, one of my ducks is constantly eating one of my plants so i decided to throw little pebbles at it every time it does this (big enough to annoy him but small enough not to hurt him).

what do you guys think? am i crazy?

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I bet you run out of rocks.

 

[CPW Chicks]

I don't believe throwing things at him help, it may make him mad and not trust you therefore act out towards you. I would try something less aggressive like spraying water (using stream not mist) at his head when he is eating the plant.

 

[ilovemuscovy]

Quote:
he LOOOOOVES water..

D:

 

[katharinad]

Mine love water too. But boy do they behave when they see the water nozzle or water pistol in my hand. Only problem it only lasts while I'm there. They are way too smart. Either you put a small fence around it or you let them have it. Ducks are good at learning routines, but not so good when it comes to bad duck or good duck behavior. Learn to live it, they are as imperfect as a husband. You can only train up to a certain point, after that nature sets in.

 

[CPW Chicks]

Quote:
he LOOOOOVES water..

D:

I know they love water, but they will still react if sprayed with it in their face. Tell me ilovemuscovy how would you react to being hit in the head with rocks. Would you learn something or would you react badly? I believe hitting your animals with anything even a small rock is a form of abuse, you can't train animals by hurting them all you will teach them is to fear you.

 

[crj]

Ilovemuscovy, I bet your duck keeps looking trying to figure out where those pebbles are coming from.....

I was hiding in my car one time while tossing bread into the goats pen. Just a few pieces at a time. They didn't see me. They did, however, look up to see if more bread was coming!

Anyway, has to duck moved at all??? The squirt gone will probably work better. birdaholic is probably right, you might run out of pebbles........ hahaha. You just might need that little fence. Nothing dramatic.... duck size!

 

[ilovemuscovy]

Quote:
he LOOOOOVES water..

D:

I know they love water, but they will still react if sprayed with it in their face. Tell me ilovemuscovy how would you react to being hit in the head with rocks. Would you learn something or would you react badly? I believe hitting your animals with anything even a small rock is a form of abuse, you can't train animals by hurting them all you will teach them is to fear you.

i don't think it's abuse at all because these are small pebbles.. like the type found in gravel. and i don't even get them in the head. buuut maybe i should try the water technique instead.

 

[MysticalMom]

Quote:
This made me laugh out loud.

 

[Miss Ducky]

Maybe you could try telling him 'No!' sharply and tapping his beak when he does, and possibly giving him peas or something when he stops, though in the last part you might run the risk of him associating him finishing eating the bush with a treat, which would merely reinforce the behavior. Hmm. I'm sure you could train him not to, though I wouldn't throw gravel at him. I'm new to ducks, though, so don't quote me. Perhaps you could try distracting him from the bush by throwing peas or something to the side. Good luck!