Why won't them swim?

[kargo]

Hello. So I got my 4 baby Pekings a chidren's plastic swimming pool. I put them in it, but they wouldn't swim. Then I remembered that baby ducks always swim with mommy. Maybe they think I'm mommy. So I got in and sat, and they started swimming around. When I got out, they went up on the dry part. (The ground wasn't flat, so all of the water was in one corner.) When I got back in, they started swimming again. The cycle kept repeated. They never swam when I got out. Why?

 

[hendrix25]

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I have no idea, but it is a cute story. You should record and post the video.

 

[kargo]

I might do that tomorrow. Not tonight, though.

 

[Ducklove334]

did you hatch them?

if so they're imprinted, you ARE mommy, and they're gonna follow you whereever. momma will take the babies out of the water source,and would never let them swim alone.

so since they probly think you are momma, f you don't want to swim, niether do they.

 

[ging3rhoffman]

My little ducks would get out of the water quickly also so i warmed the water up with a couple of buckets of hot water and they had a good ole time in it. Ive noticed that when i put them in the pond they would get out quickly and now 3 weeks later they get in the pond but seem to stick to the edges of the pond and when they want to go to the other side...they go quickly.

 

[kargo]

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I didn't hatch them. I bought them from the CO-OP yesterday. They were among the last six.

It does seem like they may be imprinted, though.

 

[luvmychicksforever]

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my two mallards and khaki campbell are ten weeks old and still wont get in the pond. They did one time about one week ago for one hour and now will not get in. Any advice?

 

[tia]

I love your story. It makes sense that they think you are the mommy. I once got in a dog house to try to get my dog to go in. I finally got rid of the dog house. : ) Good luck!!!

 

[hearthnsoul]

It's funny you say that,..I had my pack out today and I had a filled cement mix pan filled with water,..for the most part they wanted nothing more then to drink out of it,..but when my seven year old hopped in the pen with them and started diving his hands and arms throgh the water suddenly they decided to take a quick dip,..very monkey see monkey do.

 

[MDC]

You could try tossing treats in there for them.

I don't know what it is but there are those rare occasions when ducks are slow to fall head over heels in love with water - often I think it's the way they're brooded. If they're brooded w/out water available for swimming then I think they just learn to do without so it's foreign to them when it's introduced at a later date.

Let them know there's tasty treats in the water and I bet they're much more likely to hop in on their own.