Why do my ducks hate me?

[aaronburton87]

I have 6 cayugas, 3 golden hybrids, and 2 american buff geese. They all hate me. They are completely terrified ofbme. They run in the opposite direction when they see me.
THEY ARE A MONTH OLD TOMORROW.
I have tried the tricks. Talk quietly
when you go out, move slowly, be gentle in every movement yadeeadeea. HELP

 

[chwychuro]

I had one gosling that was being raised with 8 ducklings... The thing was she thought she was a duck, so she was afraid of everything. I separated her for 1 week by herself with just me as company. And so whenever I would leave she wanted me back. It made it easier to get the goose to be more familiar with me and she's much nicer now. She comes when called. The ducks I have are still scared because they are still in the pack. I'm not sure exactly why they are so afraid but I feel like separating them from the pack would help. They kind of feed off of each other's fear and it just gets worse and worse.

 

[aaronburton87]

If I remive a bird, the flock wont shut up for six days (true story)

 

[chickens really]

It could be their age also? Mine were scared of me at about a month old and were imprinted on me from day one. Now they are back to sleeping at my feet and following me around the yard. I do not hold my Ducks. I would give it some time for them to get over being scared. I quack at my Ducks to call them...Sounds silly but it works.

Good luck.

 

[tmorgan46]

I have 6 cayugas, 3 golden hybrids, and 2 american buff geese. They all hate me. They are completely terrified ofbme. They run in the opposite direction when they see me.
THEY ARE A MONTH OLD TOMORROW.
I have tried the tricks. Talk quietly
when you go out, move slowly, be gentle in every movement yadeeadeea. HELP

They're still babies and we look like we have "predator" tattoo'd to our foreheads. ;-) Sit with them and try to get to the point where they associate you with yummy treats. I always, use a red solo cup filled with dried meal worms when I give out treats. All I have to do is stand in the door leading outside and shake that darn cup and 99% of them come running. And that's as friendly as our ducks will ever get. Sometimes I can reach out and scratch their necks but that's about the extent of it. But look for the other clues that they really enjoy your company - the way they walk more quickly when coming for treats, the excited twill in their voices, the wagging of tail feathers. You'll get there. Just takes time. I like to pull up and sit down on an over turned 5 gallon bucket, feed treats and talk to each of them like they're my own kids. Spouse thinks I'm loony, but it makes me feel better. And honestly, I think the ducks and geese kinda dig it too....

 

[Welshies]

I have 6 cayugas, 3 golden hybrids, and 2 american buff geese. They all hate me. They are completely terrified ofbme. They run in the opposite direction when they see me.
THEY ARE A MONTH OLD TOMORROW.
I have tried the tricks. Talk quietly
when you go out, move slowly, be gentle in every movement yadeeadeea. HELP

You need to HANDLE THEM. Talking and moving slowly doesn't do sh*t if you aren't handling them. Pick them up, rub their beaks, feed them treats from your hands.... HANDLE THEM!!!!!!

 

[quackingdom]

Why do your ducks hate you? Because you look like a Tyrannosaurus Rex who just isn’t hungry yet. Ducks are prey animals. In the wild, even the appearance of a lion makes a herd of zebra nervous, whether the lion is hungry or not.

Being slow and gentle helps, but it doesn’t work all on its own. Like tmorgan46 said, treats are one of the best ways to win a duck’s heart! You can try offering them lettuce, worms, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, pumpkin, cabbage, etc. (Worms are the best, I think. We raise mealworms just to feed our ducks.) Eventually they might even take it from your hand. They might never be tame enough that you can just walk up to them and pick them up, although I’ve had a few that do that, but with treats they should at least stop running away every time you walk in there.

Most ducks hate being picked up, but most will accept being petted when they’re tame. With some of my more skittish ducks, I touch them or pet them a little whenever I give them a treat.

Oh, and don’t chase them or force catch them unless absolutely necessary. That scares them to death.

 

[ducksgomarching]

I wanted to wait until those with actual duck experience posted, and now that they have I'd like to echo that food is the way to just about any animal's heart. We just moved in to our house that came with adult ducks who fled to the middle of their pond and gave us the royal stink-eye whenever we went outside. After only a couple weeks of regular treating with chopped veggies they now waddle up onto shore and get quite chatty when they see me! They're still a little skittish, but whereas they used to wait until I had walked aaaaaaaaaall the way away from them before they'd come get their dinner, now they rush up and crowd around me before I've even put it down. Food bribery WORKS!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wanted to wait until those with actual duck experience posted, and now that they have I'd like to echo that food is the way to just about any animal's heart. We just moved in to our house that came with adult ducks who fled to the middle of their pond and gave us the royal stink-eye whenever we went outside. After only a couple weeks of regular treating with chopped veggies they now waddle up onto shore and get quite chatty when they see me! They're still a little skittish, but whereas they used to wait until I had walked aaaaaaaaaall the way away from them before they'd come get their dinner, now they rush up and crowd around me before I've even put it down. Food bribery WORKS!

@ducksgomarching Welcome to BYC!!

 

[ducksgomarching]

Thank you! I've been lurking for a little while now and y'all have been so helpful!