Why are my Pekins not friendly?

[Momma Tabe]

My "kids" (Lucille and Matilda) are 8 weeks old. Around 4 weeks, they suddenly became skittish and will run away if you get too close. They were continually handled since we got them... hand fed... sung to... I even fell asleep with them cuddled up to me in their pen. We'd take walks outside and they'd follow me all around. Now... not so much. I take them out during the day and bring them in at night. I have to carry them and do everything as slowly as possible trying not to stress them. I have a routine. I always say, "Who wants to go out to go swimmin' ??". Lucille always goes first and once both are out they get hand-fed some dried mealworms. We have conversations. I talk to them all day long like they're little kids and they quack back. They get excited when they see me and flap their wings, but I can't naturally get close or have them come to me. We tried letting them graze in the yard. Trying to wrangle them in was ugly. I want them to be able to do what is natural for them, but I don't want to terrify them by having to chase them around. I will be moving them to a run with a coop shortly, but still plan on bringing them in at night.
I read somewhere they can go through a stage where they can become like defiant "teenagers". I'm mildly heartbroken because I expected to have these social butterflies and get to experience their friendly, loving Pekin nature. Is this just a stage and I should ride it out with the hope they come around? Or am I doomed?

 

[KathiQuacks]

Yes, the teenager phase is real. Ducklings will drift from their mothers as they age. Other big factors are that you are not around them all the time, but also you are a much bigger creature! You are naturally going to be a bit scary..

But, this doesn’t mean they don’t love you. What you’re describing are indeed friendly ducks; approaches for food, happily quacks when they see you, but won’t necessarily let you approach / won’t approach you otherwise.

I understand, I really do. I expected approachable, pet-able ducks when I first got them, but that’s not how they are Now I’m just happy that I can hand-feed them, and occasionally they’ll still follow me around.

 

[My15Ducks]

I understand about feeling heartbroken that your teenage ducks aren’t the sweet babies they used to be. I’ve had that happen with my last batch of ducklings. One day they decided they wanted nothing to do with me and wouldn’t even eat out of my hand. But the good thing is that didn’t last. They’re 10 weeks old now and even though they don’t let me pet them, they will eat out of my hand and nibble on my hair and clothes. They are happy to see me and eager to eat treats.

You could try different treats to bribe your ducklings. Mine love peas

 

[CoriM]

Just keep doing what you're doing and offer treats frequently so they see you as the giver of all good things. They're not like dogs, typically ducks don't love being touched or picked up. Of my ten, I have two who will stand still for petting, a couple who will tolerate it, but the rest jump out of the way if I reach my hand out, unless it has treats in it . All my girls were hand-raised in my kitchen and showered with attention.

As for getting them in for the yard, when it's time go out with a little cup of peas or whatever their favorite treat is...give them a taste then take it to their coop and give them the rest. They will learn in time to follow you. I let my ten ducks out to free-range and occasionally there will be a wayward child who's not ready to go home, but for the most part I can slowly heard them that way, and if I want them to go fast I just take a treat with me and they follow me right up. It took my babies a few weeks to learn the routine last year.

 

[ruthhope]

My "kids" (Lucille and Matilda) are 8 weeks old. Around 4 weeks, they suddenly became skittish and will run away if you get too close. They were continually handled since we got them... hand fed... sung to... I even fell asleep with them cuddled up to me in their pen. We'd take walks outside and they'd follow me all around. Now... not so much. I take them out during the day and bring them in at night. I have to carry them and do everything as slowly as possible trying not to stress them. I have a routine. I always say, "Who wants to go out to go swimmin' ??". Lucille always goes first and once both are out they get hand-fed some dried mealworms. We have conversations. I talk to them all day long like they're little kids and they quack back. They get excited when they see me and flap their wings, but I can't naturally get close or have them come to me. We tried letting them graze in the yard. Trying to wrangle them in was ugly. I want them to be able to do what is natural for them, but I don't want to terrify them by having to chase them around. I will be moving them to a run with a coop shortly, but still plan on bringing them in at night.
I read somewhere they can go through a stage where they can become like defiant "teenagers". I'm mildly heartbroken because I expected to have these social butterflies and get to experience their friendly, loving Pekin nature. Is this just a stage and I should ride it out with the hope they come around? Or am I doomed?

Welcome to BYC.

Are your ducks going through a phase? Maybe. Are you doomed? I doubt it!! Ducks have personalities and can be fickle. You are doing all the right things to encourage your ducks to be super human friendly. The majority of my ducks are "nosy": they want to be around when I am out as they want to know what I am doing. They come up the back steps and peer in the glass doors as they want to know who is inside and what we are doing. But currently only one demands picking up and cuddling. He follows me and bites my ankles if I don't stoop and pick him up. Last year I had another duck that loved a cuddle, but didn't demand cuddles. My son's drake accepts cuddles from me but chases my son and bites his feet [not demanding to be picked up]. His flock of pekins was friendly -- meeting me at the side gate and following me around [quacking loudly for food!] but he added two additional females that are skittish and they all became more 'distant' to my son and I. They still come to the side gate when they hear my car arrive and do demand feeing but without getting close and certainly not accepting cuddles. Ducks are just like this.

Keep doing what you are doing and things will settle down. Particularly after they get their outside quarters, keep hanging out with them. I sit on my back steps and my son's back steps so that I am not towering over them, and the ducks come closer. But only my one drake comes up to sit beside by me voluntarily, demanding cuddles. Time will tell how yours will be -- maybe not until this time next year will they have adopted their adult demeanor

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@BelovedBirds

 

[Momma Tabe]

Yes, the teenager phase is real. Ducklings will drift from their mothers as they age. Other big factors are that you are not around them all the time, but also you are a much bigger creature! You are naturally going to be a bit scary..

But, this doesn’t mean they don’t love you. What you’re describing are indeed friendly ducks; approaches for food, happily quacks when they see you, but won’t necessarily let you approach / won’t approach you otherwise.

I understand, I really do. I expected approachable, pet-able ducks when I first got them, but that’s not how they are Now I’m just happy that I can hand-feed them, and occasionally they’ll still follow me around.

That's pretty much where I'm at. I take treats when we go out and they'll reluctantly follow me, but trying to "capture" them to get them back inside scares me. We'll run around in circles trying to get them. I do think once I get them out and in their run, I'll have a better time with a more enclosed space.
I know I'm scary by my size, so I do my best to stay squatted to be more on their level. I think I may just be expecting too much also.

 

[Momma Tabe]

Welcome to BYC.

Are your ducks going through a phase? Maybe. Are you doomed? I doubt it!! Ducks have personalities and can be fickle. You are doing all the right things to encourage your ducks to be super human friendly. The majority of my ducks are "nosy": they want to be around when I am out as they want to know what I am doing. They come up the back steps and peer in the glass doors as they want to know who is inside and what we are doing. But currently only one demands picking up and cuddling. He follows me and bites my ankles if I don't stoop and pick him up. Last year I had another duck that loved a cuddle, but didn't demand cuddles. My son's drake accepts cuddles from me but chases my son and bites his feet [not demanding to be picked up]. His flock of pekins was friendly -- meeting me at the side gate and following me around [quacking loudly for food!] but he added two additional females that are skittish and they all became more 'distant' to my son and I. They still come to the side gate when they hear my car arrive and do demand feeing but without getting close and certainly not accepting cuddles. Ducks are just like this.

Keep doing what you are doing and things will settle down. Particularly after they get their outside quarters, keep hanging out with them. I sit on my back steps and my son's back steps so that I am not towering over them, and the ducks come closer. But only my one drake comes up to sit beside by me voluntarily, demanding cuddles. Time will tell how yours will be -- maybe not until this time next year will they have adopted their adult demeanor

We have found it almost therapeutic to sit and watch them, especially when they're out playing in their baby pool. I could do it all day! I do wish at least one would cuddle. I sit in their pen and feed them treats and they'll nibble my feet, but I have to sit still. I make any movement, they take off. They'll come back after though. My 2 sound like your 2 more skittish females. Get excited to see you, but don't want you too close.
I'll just keep working with them and maybe they'll relax some.

 

[Momma Tabe]

Just keep doing what you're doing and offer treats frequently so they see you as the giver of all good things. They're not like dogs, typically ducks don't love being touched or picked up. Of my ten, I have two who will stand still for petting, a couple who will tolerate it, but the rest jump out of the way if I reach my hand out, unless it has treats in it . All my girls were hand-raised in my kitchen and showered with attention.

As for getting them in for the yard, when it's time go out with a little cup of peas or whatever their favorite treat is...give them a taste then take it to their coop and give them the rest. They will learn in time to follow you. I let my ten ducks out to free-range and occasionally there will be a wayward child who's not ready to go home, but for the most part I can slowly heard them that way, and if I want them to go fast I just take a treat with me and they follow me right up. It took my babies a few weeks to learn the routine last year.

I am routine happy! They get treats at certain times as a way to say it's ok and they can expect. They get a bowl of peas, blueberries and kale every night at 9:30. I announce, "who's ready for their night, nights snack"? and they go bonkers. They actually will start calling if I'm late.

More than anything it's letting them roam and then trying to get them back in. They will follow some with treats being offered, but they run in panic if I try to get them to bring them in. Little buggers would run into my ankles when they were ducklings if I got too far away. It was like a change that happened overnight.

I'm just happy to know I'm doing the right thing with them. I just didn't get the cuddly duckies. Bummed, but they are like any other animal or person for that matter. Different personalities.

 

[KathiQuacks]

I don’t know if I’ve ever actually seen a true cuddly duck before It seems to always either be someone’s lone duck, or someone misinterpreting mating behavior. Would love to see it, though!