Was ordering hatchery chicks/ducklings a mistake?

[jennybvcr]

I got my ducklings at 3 days old and they still went through a panic monster phase. They’re still way more high strung than I had anticipated they would be, but they’re doing better. Ditto to coming at them from a lower level and double triple quadruple ditto on starting to hand feed them a special treat. 100% meal worms won my girls over when they were going through their fearful stage at 2 weeks (gingerbread man complex is and AMAZING term!!)

Also if they can relate being picked up by you to something awesome it might help. My girls seem to know that when they are picked up and put in their transfer carrier it’s because something good is about to happen like going for a swim in the tub or out to the garden for watermelon.

 

[goslingluv]

My welsh duckling is so gentle and loving but my cayuga hates me its individual to each one i think u can alway put a radio out there so they can have human voices around when you cant be with them this helps my gosling

 

[jennybvcr]

My welsh duckling is so gentle and loving but my cayuga hates me its individual to each one i think u can alway put a radio out there so they can have human voices around when you cant be with them this helps my gosling

That's exactly how mine are! My one Harlequin is very sweet. The other is so so. The cayuga is a lunatic and runs away from me like I'm trying to murder her every time.

 

[goslingluv]

I dont force the cayuga to be held, i just share space with it and talk to it he will sit by us and lay on our laps as long as you dont touch him with your hands i have accepted this as our dynamic and dont worry to much about it.

 

[Toogoodoo]

Our Muscovy are free to roam the yard, and I can come right up to some of them without them startling. Got them as adults from someone who had them in a pen, not sure how much time, if any, he spent with them.

The Cayugas would trample everything in their paths to get away even if I wasn't coming near them. The Khakis depend in the day.

Think it just takes time, and depends on the individual duck[ling]