why do my ducks keep on running away from me??

[c.wilson]

Alright heres how the story goes. On April fools day (april 1st) I went in to Tractor Supply Co. to get chicken feed and I saw that they has some baby ducks. They had 8 of them. 2 yellow ones a pekin and the other turned out to be a fawn and white not runner but something else. Two black ones, to white and black ones, and two baby mallard looking ones that can fly now but one has a tuft of feathers on his head.( a crested mallard maybe). I dont know how to post pics on here but if anyone has ever gotton ducklings from Tractor Supply Co. and you have pictures of what mine look like in the desription then can you please post them and tell me what they are. Mine are all feathered out but i still dont know.

I have moved them out of their brooder and into a bigger one for now just until i get my small duck house built. which of course will be done in a few days or so(hopefully). Ever since I got them they have always ran from me.

I would really like to know why they are acting this way i have no idea. I want to hold them and love thembut they are to afraid and ever since i brought them home from Tractor Supply Co. they have ran from me. I have to chase them all around the brooder and once i do catch one it quacks and claws me and acts like I am going to kill it. All of my chickens are really tame and i know this is a chicken forum but i dont know what else to do. Does anyone know how to get a ducks trust.

I AM SO CONFUSED!!!!!

 

[birdnutz]

My ducks hate to be picked up. I have one that is human bonded and he still hates it. What they all love is bug and worm hunting. A trowel and a place to dig worms works,or turning over rocks and pointing out bugs. With the ducks outside I have to stay sitting for them to work up the courage to get close. Only 2 of them will eat out of my hands. Houston don't care as long as I'm not towering over him. He thinks it's great fun to bug hunt.

 

[c.wilson]

Well do you know if all ducks hate to be picked up?

 

[penelope77]

my ducks hate me too. my kids however catch them all the time and hold them. they carry on like someone is killing them though. even when i throw snacks for them they won't go near it until i'm inside or far away. i think it's just ducks but i did hear you can train them young to eat out of your hand and if you keep doing that they will trust you.

 

[Struttn1]

Young hatchling ducks imprint on the first thing they see moving as mama. if you got these guys at a few days old they probably already imprinted to whoever cared for them where you bought them.

 

[peehead]

Its disheartening, but my ducks hate me too. ( it really hurt my feelings at first) No matter how much time I spent with them and tried to calm them down, they still clawed and squacked at me.
Now that they are a little older they allow me me to get closer but never close enough to touch them. I seem to earn more of their trust through the chickens. When I go out, the chickens expect treats and come running. The ducks have picked up on this and seem to except me more.
They are only about four months old so I can only hope that it will get better.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

They run away, because they are imprinted on eachother. They think that you are a predator.

 

[ChickyPooh]

Mine hate me!!! One split my finger wide open while I was holding him. Lots of fun

 

[DaDuckersmama]

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only duck mama whose ducks don't like her. I love mine to death and all they do is run from me, unless I have nightcrawlers. When I hold the worms in my hand, and dangle them a bit the most dominant duck will eat them out of my hand. 2 of the other 3 will follow. That's the only way I can get them to get anywhere near me.

 

[BantyHugger]

I have 1 duck that likes to come up to me. He's fine so long as i don't touch him. Everyone else stays really far away unless i have the hose.

Does your fawn and white thing look like this?

It has some baby feathers in that pic. Its a buff and pekin cross we hatched that just so happened to get runner markings. I'll get another pic of him/her later if you want.