How Far Can Ducks Be Trained?

[TurkeyGoat]

I recently posted a thread about training ducks to respond to come when I call...

Then I started thinking: How much could you train a duck to do? I've always assumed that you can just get them to come here or go there. But what if you started them at a young age, making them sit or something for food? Is that even possible, or is there simply not enough brains in a bird?

 

[Knighstar679]

I recently posted a thread about training ducks to respond to come when I call...

Then I started thinking: How much could you train a duck to do? I've always assumed that you can just get them to come here or go there. But what if you started them at a young age, making them sit or something for food? Is that even possible, or is there simply not enough brains in a bird?

I have seen animals like a beta fish and hermit crab trained to do things. So yes if you pick the right behaviors and are patient with good duckies food motivation I think you can train a duck. You would have to use pure positive reinforcement through as ducks and ducklings would not respond well to anything negative.

 

[emMAyTeeTee]

Perhaps research animal training for film and TV? Duck circus would be a hit!

 

[TurkeyGoat]

Perhaps research animal training for film and TV? Duck circus would be a hit!

That's not a bad idea! I wonder if I could get a duck on the trapeze...

 

[TurkeyGoat]

I have seen animals like a beta fish and hermit crab trained to do things. So yes if you pick the right behaviors and are patient with good duckies food motivation I think you can train a duck. You would have to use pure positive reinforcement through as ducks and ducklings would not respond well to anything negative.

So any ideas on specific tricks you might try? Sit, roll over, shake?

 

[Knighstar679]

So any ideas on specific tricks you might try? Sit, roll over, shake?

i am still working on the get in your house command. Its going pretty slow.

 

[Jpat]

That's not a bad idea! I wonder if I could get a duck on the trapeze...

my ducks trained me long before i trained them

 

[LadyHawk_2006]

i am still working on the get in your house command. Its going pretty slow.

We've only had our duck for about a month and a half (rescued from a local park), but she will listen to me (not my kids or husband) when I say "Go into your house." I say it every single time she goes in there, and I offer encouragement in the form of "pushing" her from behind (I just get very close to her and hold my hands close so she feels compelled to move forward). When she's inside, she knows she gets tasty treats, and she feels safe in there, so she goes in willingly.

I have limited experience with ducks right now, but lots of experience with lots of other animals, so for any animal to learn any behavior, it has to be something that they are already likely to do, there has to be a lot of repetition, some sort of reward, and since mine only seems to listen to me, they may only follow whoever they see as the leader of the group

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I've always wanted to teach mine to ride a little bicycle. Watch them waddle, doesn't it look like they could?

 

[neo71665]

my ducks trained me long before i trained them

Our mallards did too. If they didn't get fed when they thought they should be they would waddle up from the pond and start quacking and raising cain by the front door. As far as coming when called all we had to do is shake a coffee can with feed in it and they bombarded ya. No training required.