MY DUCKS HAVE BECOME EVIL!!!!

[LunarAngel]

My ducks have become completely the most aggressive animals I've had... and I have a rottwieler! The males slowly sneak up behind me and... nibble at my jeans. They can't bite worth anything, but they try. They CAN bite a little harder, but they won't bite me too hard because I feed them.

The females won't let us come near them (except if it's feeding time!). I don't usually pick them up so Kuro (black swed.) and Baka (runner/buff) are still a little shy. Kupo (runner/buff) and Momo (black swed.), however, are not. They are always watching and are ready to attack anything... even if it is the hand who feeds them.

I've noticed that they won't bite me (or my mom) head on. They have to sneak up behind us. Everyone else though....

I get to pick them up a lot more, though. They'll just waltz right up to me and let me hold them. They're really sweet once they're in your grasp. I like to feel the feathers on Kupo's pom-pom!!

DUCKY-MANIA!

 

[ml]

Oh my, they bite you? Mine are such clowns. Gosh they dont have alot of need for me other then food but I get such a kick out of watching them. My runners and mallards are so soft, I pick them up to put them to bed each night in a lock up coop. Poor things they are so used to me I guess picking them up. Only time one of mine bite at me was cause she did not know me yet. Hope some one has some suggestions here for you.

ML

 

[LunarAngel]

They don't bite hard. I know they can bite harder, because Momo thought that my hand was a piece of food once... and it hurt a little bit when he tried to EAT ME.

I do know that poultry shiver when they're happy, and Kupo shivers if I pet him while he's eating. They're actually very sweet most of the time, and I get to hold them every time. Yesterday it was a little hard, because I almost stepped on the dummie.

Chicks peck much harder than ducks bite, though. And lately, the males haven't been biting me. They just run up to me, stop, and then turn around. But sometimes they'll get close enough that I can grab them.

And now, the chicks have started attacking the ducks and cats. Because they've seen us run after them when they're about to be attacked, they now think that they can attack them, too. Even though they're only a fraction of the size of each, especially our partridge and japanese bantam roos.

How old are your ducks, by the way? Maybe it's just the age...?

Thanks!

 

[DuckLady]

Hehehe. They sound normal to me.

 

[kybukabu]

Our 3 Mallard hens are only 9-10 weeks old and they're not crazy about being handled, but I touch them daily just for principle. I hope handling them will limit the potential for aggression - even if it doesn't hurt as much as getting caught between a chicken and her intended bug snack.

One of the ways I can touch them without getting nasty scratches is to corral them into their night time pen or a corner of the yard via a slow speed chase. Then when they're cornered but calm, I pick one and guide her toward me by placing my hand on her life preserver chest and guiding her backwards to me. If I leave her feet on the ground, she stays a little calmer than if I pick her up. But if I do pick one up, I hold her close and snug --but not tightly, just blocked like you would a frog-- and that seems to keep her calmer, too.

One of the ways I get THEM to come to ME is to turn on the watering hose for their itty-bitty interim "pond." They stand fascinated by the water. Can't wait to see them in their real pond!

Also, they were brooded in a workshop so anytime I'm using power tools, they're on me in a heartbeat. Yesterday, one of the ducks grabbed a box of my screws and about made off with it, the little nut bird. Who knew ducks and chickens could be so incredibly entertaining??

 

[GoodEgg]

These ducklings were raised from 2-day olds. The one who is most aggressive now is the one who used to fall asleep in our hands when we picked him up and petted him.

We used to handle them several times a day as they were growing up, and they followed us like we were mama duck. We used to hand-feed them little bugs and such, they LOVED that and would come running when called.

I'm starting to think it's just the breed of the one ... I think Kupo is pure runner duck ... and the others are just under his bad influence. He's the one that acts like he's going to bite every time you turn your back for half a moment.

Maybe he thinks it's a game too. As 4-week-olds, they could pinch a bit if they got carried away when eating treats from our hands. Now they are over 5 months old, and his "bites" can barely be felt.

Hehe ... they are not completely "evil" ... but they do put on a very "macho" show!

trish

 

[kybukabu]

Quote:
The plethora of breeds within a species is overwhelming me. Did you ever think of a chicken or a duck as just a chicken or a duck? I sure did! Silly me.

http://www.runnerduck.net/photo_album.htm

My goodness! Do they really stand up like that? They look like spears.

 

[greyfields]

My ducks nibble at me, but have never bit me really hard. Usually ducks raised from ducklings are very tame, just like geese. It's the ones that you let their moms' brood naturally that tend to be wicked and mean!

 

[GoodEgg]

Quote:
No, ours don't really look like that. I think it's kind of like you may have a breed of chicken that doesn't look like all the ones on a webpage either. My guess is that these are "show" sorts of ducks, or at least more well-bred to type, than ours.

For a long time I have thought they were probably crossbred runners, perhaps with buff orpington ducks, because they didn't look like bowling pins or spears. Now I think, after looking at lots of "pet" runners online, that what we have are just pet quality runners. They are too tall and thin to be "regular" ducks, especially when standing next to the others, and they have a much more upright stance, but not like those on that page. Actually, they look almost exactly like the crested runner here. My daughter thought it WAS our drake when she saw this page. The duck is just like him, although a touch lighter and without the crest.

I'm kinda glad they turned out as they did. When they were ducklings, I had a real idea that they were probably runners, from their body shape and stance compared to the dark ones. I looked at lots of pics online and wasn't sure I was ready for ducks that looked like bowling pins AND had a poof one's head!

And he's just being macho, I guess, as I said. He doesn't ever bite hard (at least he hasn't bitten US hard, I can't say for a stranger), he just puts on a huge show.

He did pull feathers out of my chicks the first day I let them out to free-range though, but I've chased him away so many times now that the chicks will usually attack before he gets too close. Soon I think they'll be big enough to keep him in line ... they can peck a LOT harder!

trish

 

[kybukabu]

Quote:
Cool photos. Thanks for the link.

Sometimes my Silkie Roo gets a little nippity when he acting the protector, esp. when Goldie's laying. He's just so cute when he plays Little Man. Perhaps your Duck Man is feeling territorial when he gets a little nippity? Maybe it's similar for the "sneaking" up of the others that I think your daughter (?) wrote about.

Gently do we invade "their" space and remind them that while they are allowed many freedoms, and plenty of food and toys, we can go wherever we want 'cause WE BE THE MOMMIES and we can if we want.